{"id":59,"date":"2025-07-11T00:37:35","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T00:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=59"},"modified":"2026-03-26T20:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:11:52","slug":"rocks-plate-tectonics","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/chapter\/rocks-plate-tectonics\/","title":{"raw":"Rocks and Plate Tectonics","rendered":"Rocks and Plate Tectonics"},"content":{"raw":"<h1>Rocks and Plate Tectonics Lab<\/h1>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<h2>Purpose and Objectives:<\/h2>\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>To receive hands-on experience with identifying basic minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks using a variety of tools.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>To recognize the names and locations of Earth's main plates.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>To recognize plate boundary types, based on their location and relative plate movements, and to connect those to environmental conditions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Introduction:<\/h2>\r\nThe Theory of Plate Tectonics is the grand, unifying theory of geology that explains the distribution of major features such as mountain belts, earthquakes, volcanoes, rock types and much more. To understand plate tectonics, one must have an understanding of Earth\u2019s layers with two different perspectives: layers based on chemistry and those based on physical properties (listed below). Figure 1 below highlights both types of layering side-by-side.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Earth's chemical layers: crust (continental and oceanic types), mantle, core.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Earth's physical layers: lithosphere, asthenosphere, outer core, inner core.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-88 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-300x207.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"627\" height=\"433\" \/>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Figure 1:<\/strong> <\/span>The chemical &amp; physical layers of the Earth with approximate thicknesses (United States Geological Survey Public Domain).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe <strong>continental crust<\/strong> is thick and lower in density. It has an average composition of felsic-intermediate igneous rocks (you'll learn more about these terms in part 3 of this lab). For now, one can think of felsic as \"light-colored rocks.\" The <strong>oceanic crust<\/strong> is think and higher in density. It has an average composition of mafic igneous rocks (think \"dark-colored rocks\"). In other words, one can think of continental crust as like cork, and the oceanic crust being like sheet metal. The <strong>mantle<\/strong> is the thickest chemical layer, and has an ultramafic average igneous composition (\"ultra-dark rocks\"). The <strong>core<\/strong> is widely-believed to be a nickel-iron alloy.\r\n\r\nFor our studying of plate tectonics, Earth's physical layers take center stage. The <strong>lithosphere<\/strong> comprises the entire crust as well as the uppermost part of the mantle. Although the crust and mantle are different chemical compositions, these two parts are unified as the lithosphere due to their brittle nature. This thin, hard layer is like an eggshell or a cracker. It is the lithosphere that is more colloquially known as our<strong> \"plates!\"<\/strong> The rest of the mantle, in between the lithosphere and the core is the <strong>asthenosphere<\/strong>. It is a hot solid that is slowly flowing (like a hot plastic or wax). It is this flowy nature that mechanically moves the plates above it, like a conveyor belt (Figure 2). Lastly, the <strong>outer core<\/strong> is liquid metal (iron-nickel alloy, as mentioned above), whereas the <strong>inner core<\/strong> is solid metal alloy.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-89 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-300x178.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"649\" height=\"385\" \/>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Figure 2:<\/strong> <\/span>Earth's physical layers in the context of plate motion and how asthenosphere convection moves the plates above (United States Geological Survey Public Domain).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Earth is broken up into 15 major plates, with many more minor plates (microplates). With all plates being in some sort of motion, and with two different types of crust (continental &amp; oceanic), there are multiple combinations in which plates interact &amp; move relative to one another.\r\n\r\nOne broad plate boundary is <strong>convergent<\/strong>, where any two plates collide with each other. During a continental-oceanic convergence, the oceanic crust subducts due to its greater density. Since the oceanic crust is hydrated, water locked up in minerals \u201cboils off\u201d after reaching a certain depth, which is directly related to temperature. The water acts like a flux which makes the overlying mantle rocks easier to melt. Since (most) liquids are less dense than their solid counterparts, the melt begins to ascend towards the surface. The melt may or may not reach the surface to produce volcanism. Oceanic-oceanic convergence operates in the same manner, with the older (thus denser &amp; colder) of the pair subducting &amp; generating melt in the same fashion. Convergence between two thick continental plates causes crustal thickening as no subduction takes place. This results in the formation of non-volcanic mountain belts (i.e. the Himalayas).\r\n\r\n<strong>Divergent<\/strong> plate boundaries are where two plates spread away from each other. The most common occurrence is between two oceanic plates along a spreading center. Here, hot asthenosphere material quickly rises from under the center, loses pressure, &amp; melts via decompression melting. The erupted lava pushes the plates apart, while forming new land in its place. The same thing can happen on a continent, but its mechanisms are more complex.\r\n\r\n<strong>Transform<\/strong> plate boundaries are those where two plates slide past each other. Here, there is no destruction nor creation of land. Hence, this is the only plate boundary where no magma is generated. In rarer cases volcanism can occur in the middle of any type of plate, via a <strong>hot spot<\/strong>, or a plume of anomalously hot material originated from the deep mantle (with melting occurring due to a simple increase in heat). An oceanic example is the Hawaiian Islands, and a continental example resides underneath Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Hot spots can be used to trace plate velocity and direction over time, by dating the produced igneous rocks, the distance between them, as well as knowing that hot spots remain stationary.\r\n<h2>Part 1 \u2013 Plate Tectonics &amp; Earthquakes<\/h2>\r\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Click on the following link to pull up a world map using an ArcGIS program (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/webmap\/viewer.html?webmap=2d07a4a00e3f49b09c96ac9b73d7e5f4\">Cracked Earth \u2013 Plate Boundaries Interactive Map<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>To start, make sure only the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box is checked. Then visit the \u201cLegend\u201d tab to see what the different color lines represent.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #1:<\/strong> Approximate what proportion of the world\u2019s plate boundaries are of the following types (give your answer as percentages):\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Convergent \u2013<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Divergent \u2013<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Transform \u2013<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #2:<\/strong> Now focus on the \u201cRing of Fire that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. Approximate what proportion of each plate boundary type exists there (again, give percentages):\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Convergent \u2013<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Divergent \u2013<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Transform \u2013<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #3:<\/strong> Now, go to the \u201cLayers\u201d tab and check the box \u201cGlobal Quakes of Large Magnitude 5.8 or Greater.\u201d What do you notice about where most of these quakes occur?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #4:<\/strong> Now, check the \u201cCalifornia Quakes\u201d box. What do you notice?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Zoom back out to get a world map view. You can do this by clicking on the box with a house (Default Extent). Next, check the \u201cAbsolute Plate Motions\u201d box. You\u2019ll see a variety of arrows with numbers appear. These show plate directions and average speed a year (in millimeters). The arrows are like vectors. The longer the arrow, the faster the plate is moving.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #5:<\/strong> Which plate is moving the slowest? The fastest? For both answers, give the speed and directions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Now, we\u2019ll get some experience in using the measuring tool (found along the top of the map).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #6:<\/strong> Remaining in California, measure the approximate length of the San Andreas Fault complex (Hint: it\u2019s a transform fault). Make sure to report your measurement in either miles or kilometers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #7:<\/strong> In continuing further south in the Gulf of California, you\u2019ll notice the start of a divergent boundary. It is widely believed that the Baja Peninsula (immediately to the west) was once part of mainland Mexico (to the east). Using the nearest appropriate <strong>absolute plate motion<\/strong> (of the Pacific Ocean), as well as the <strong>measurement tool<\/strong>, calculate approximately how many years ago was the Baja Peninsula was connected to the Mexico mainland?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Next, head to the west coastline of South America, and check the box \u201cSouth American Quakes\u201d (make sure the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box is also checked). In hovering around that option, you\u2019ll see some additional symbols appear. Click on the \u201cChange Style\u201d option (the one represented by the three shapes). With the \u201cChoose an Attribute to Show\u201d option that pops up, select \u201cDepth\u201d then hit the blue \u201cDone\u201d button.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #8:<\/strong> In relation to the plate boundary, where are the deepest earthquakes located? What about the shallowest quakes?\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #9:<\/strong> In knowing what happens, in terms of the process of <strong>subduction<\/strong>, at this type of plate boundary, explain why the earthquake depth pattern is the way it is. In other words, explain your answers from question #8.\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #10:<\/strong> Zoom out so the world is in view. Next, visit the following places below and complete the table.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWrap-Up Questions:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Haiti<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Intraplate earthquakes<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Connect EQ with ENV science<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2>Part 2 \u2013 Plate Tectonics &amp; Volcanoes<\/h2>\r\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For this portion, you\u2019ll be exploring a different interactive map (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/webmap\/viewer.html?webmap=140510ed00944ad596b8ebfde48c8a56\">Plate Type Effect on Volcanoes<\/a>).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>On the left side of the map, click \"Layers\" tab. Check the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box. Hover underneath that box and click on the \u201cShow Legend\u201d icon.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Check the \u201cGlobal Volcanoes\u201d box. Hover underneath that box and click on the \u201cShow Legend\u201d icon.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #1:<\/strong> Which type of plate boundary has the most volcanoes?\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Next, go to California.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #2:<\/strong> Where do you see volcanoes in the state? With what type of plate boundary do you not see volcanoes associated with?\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #3:<\/strong> With what type of plate boundary, in California, do you not see volcanoes associated with?\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Next, go to Hawaii.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #4:<\/strong> What type of volcano is Hawaii dominantly composed of? Is Hawaii associated with a plate boundary? How can this be explained?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Now, zoom back out to see the Earth.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Question #5:<\/strong> Note all the potential hotspots that you see on Earth. Approximately what proportion of the world\u2019s hotspots are in the ocean versus on continents? Give your answer with percentages.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Question #6:<\/strong> What volcano type do you notice most of the world\u2019s continental hot spots are?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Wrap-Up Questions:<\/h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>What plate boundary types are not associated with volcanoes? Briefly explain why these boundaries are not conducive to volcano formation.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Two of the most common volcano types are shield &amp; fissure volcanoes as well as composite volcanoes. They erupt with very different behaviors. Hence, they present different environmental hazards. Briefly explain how each volcano type (with the main hazard listed) can specifically alter their surrounding ecosystems.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Shield\/Fissure, like in Hawaii (main hazard are slow-moving lava flows) -<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Composite, like in the Pacific Northwest (main hazard is ash) \u2013<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2>Part 3 \u2013 Practice with Rock &amp; Mineral Identification!<\/h2>\r\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For this portion, you\u2019ll be given a suite of minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks, as well as identification tables and tools to guide you in the identification process.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify all the provided specimens as best as you can!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","rendered":"<h1>Rocks and Plate Tectonics Lab<\/h1>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<h2>Purpose and Objectives:<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>To receive hands-on experience with identifying basic minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks using a variety of tools.<\/li>\n<li>To recognize the names and locations of Earth&#8217;s main plates.<\/li>\n<li>To recognize plate boundary types, based on their location and relative plate movements, and to connect those to environmental conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Introduction:<\/h2>\n<p>The Theory of Plate Tectonics is the grand, unifying theory of geology that explains the distribution of major features such as mountain belts, earthquakes, volcanoes, rock types and much more. To understand plate tectonics, one must have an understanding of Earth\u2019s layers with two different perspectives: layers based on chemistry and those based on physical properties (listed below). Figure 1 below highlights both types of layering side-by-side.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Earth&#8217;s chemical layers: crust (continental and oceanic types), mantle, core.<\/li>\n<li>Earth&#8217;s physical layers: lithosphere, asthenosphere, outer core, inner core.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-88 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-300x207.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"627\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-768x531.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-65x45.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-225x156.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-350x242.jpg 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure.jpg 963w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Figure 1:<\/strong> <\/span>The chemical &amp; physical layers of the Earth with approximate thicknesses (United States Geological Survey Public Domain).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>continental crust<\/strong> is thick and lower in density. It has an average composition of felsic-intermediate igneous rocks (you&#8217;ll learn more about these terms in part 3 of this lab). For now, one can think of felsic as &#8220;light-colored rocks.&#8221; The <strong>oceanic crust<\/strong> is think and higher in density. It has an average composition of mafic igneous rocks (think &#8220;dark-colored rocks&#8221;). In other words, one can think of continental crust as like cork, and the oceanic crust being like sheet metal. The <strong>mantle<\/strong> is the thickest chemical layer, and has an ultramafic average igneous composition (&#8220;ultra-dark rocks&#8221;). The <strong>core<\/strong> is widely-believed to be a nickel-iron alloy.<\/p>\n<p>For our studying of plate tectonics, Earth&#8217;s physical layers take center stage. The <strong>lithosphere<\/strong> comprises the entire crust as well as the uppermost part of the mantle. Although the crust and mantle are different chemical compositions, these two parts are unified as the lithosphere due to their brittle nature. This thin, hard layer is like an eggshell or a cracker. It is the lithosphere that is more colloquially known as our<strong> &#8220;plates!&#8221;<\/strong> The rest of the mantle, in between the lithosphere and the core is the <strong>asthenosphere<\/strong>. It is a hot solid that is slowly flowing (like a hot plastic or wax). It is this flowy nature that mechanically moves the plates above it, like a conveyor belt (Figure 2). Lastly, the <strong>outer core<\/strong> is liquid metal (iron-nickel alloy, as mentioned above), whereas the <strong>inner core<\/strong> is solid metal alloy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-89 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-300x178.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"649\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-1024x608.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-768x456.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-65x39.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-225x134.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2-350x208.jpg 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/223\/2025\/07\/Earth-layers-figure-2.jpg 1060w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>Figure 2:<\/strong> <\/span>Earth&#8217;s physical layers in the context of plate motion and how asthenosphere convection moves the plates above (United States Geological Survey Public Domain).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Earth is broken up into 15 major plates, with many more minor plates (microplates). With all plates being in some sort of motion, and with two different types of crust (continental &amp; oceanic), there are multiple combinations in which plates interact &amp; move relative to one another.<\/p>\n<p>One broad plate boundary is <strong>convergent<\/strong>, where any two plates collide with each other. During a continental-oceanic convergence, the oceanic crust subducts due to its greater density. Since the oceanic crust is hydrated, water locked up in minerals \u201cboils off\u201d after reaching a certain depth, which is directly related to temperature. The water acts like a flux which makes the overlying mantle rocks easier to melt. Since (most) liquids are less dense than their solid counterparts, the melt begins to ascend towards the surface. The melt may or may not reach the surface to produce volcanism. Oceanic-oceanic convergence operates in the same manner, with the older (thus denser &amp; colder) of the pair subducting &amp; generating melt in the same fashion. Convergence between two thick continental plates causes crustal thickening as no subduction takes place. This results in the formation of non-volcanic mountain belts (i.e. the Himalayas).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Divergent<\/strong> plate boundaries are where two plates spread away from each other. The most common occurrence is between two oceanic plates along a spreading center. Here, hot asthenosphere material quickly rises from under the center, loses pressure, &amp; melts via decompression melting. The erupted lava pushes the plates apart, while forming new land in its place. The same thing can happen on a continent, but its mechanisms are more complex.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transform<\/strong> plate boundaries are those where two plates slide past each other. Here, there is no destruction nor creation of land. Hence, this is the only plate boundary where no magma is generated. In rarer cases volcanism can occur in the middle of any type of plate, via a <strong>hot spot<\/strong>, or a plume of anomalously hot material originated from the deep mantle (with melting occurring due to a simple increase in heat). An oceanic example is the Hawaiian Islands, and a continental example resides underneath Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Hot spots can be used to trace plate velocity and direction over time, by dating the produced igneous rocks, the distance between them, as well as knowing that hot spots remain stationary.<\/p>\n<h2>Part 1 \u2013 Plate Tectonics &amp; Earthquakes<\/h2>\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Click on the following link to pull up a world map using an ArcGIS program (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/webmap\/viewer.html?webmap=2d07a4a00e3f49b09c96ac9b73d7e5f4\">Cracked Earth \u2013 Plate Boundaries Interactive Map<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>To start, make sure only the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box is checked. Then visit the \u201cLegend\u201d tab to see what the different color lines represent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #1:<\/strong> Approximate what proportion of the world\u2019s plate boundaries are of the following types (give your answer as percentages):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Convergent \u2013<\/li>\n<li>Divergent \u2013<\/li>\n<li>Transform \u2013<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #2:<\/strong> Now focus on the \u201cRing of Fire that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. Approximate what proportion of each plate boundary type exists there (again, give percentages):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Convergent \u2013<\/li>\n<li>Divergent \u2013<\/li>\n<li>Transform \u2013<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #3:<\/strong> Now, go to the \u201cLayers\u201d tab and check the box \u201cGlobal Quakes of Large Magnitude 5.8 or Greater.\u201d What do you notice about where most of these quakes occur?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #4:<\/strong> Now, check the \u201cCalifornia Quakes\u201d box. What do you notice?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Zoom back out to get a world map view. You can do this by clicking on the box with a house (Default Extent). Next, check the \u201cAbsolute Plate Motions\u201d box. You\u2019ll see a variety of arrows with numbers appear. These show plate directions and average speed a year (in millimeters). The arrows are like vectors. The longer the arrow, the faster the plate is moving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #5:<\/strong> Which plate is moving the slowest? The fastest? For both answers, give the speed and directions.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Now, we\u2019ll get some experience in using the measuring tool (found along the top of the map).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #6:<\/strong> Remaining in California, measure the approximate length of the San Andreas Fault complex (Hint: it\u2019s a transform fault). Make sure to report your measurement in either miles or kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #7:<\/strong> In continuing further south in the Gulf of California, you\u2019ll notice the start of a divergent boundary. It is widely believed that the Baja Peninsula (immediately to the west) was once part of mainland Mexico (to the east). Using the nearest appropriate <strong>absolute plate motion<\/strong> (of the Pacific Ocean), as well as the <strong>measurement tool<\/strong>, calculate approximately how many years ago was the Baja Peninsula was connected to the Mexico mainland?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Next, head to the west coastline of South America, and check the box \u201cSouth American Quakes\u201d (make sure the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box is also checked). In hovering around that option, you\u2019ll see some additional symbols appear. Click on the \u201cChange Style\u201d option (the one represented by the three shapes). With the \u201cChoose an Attribute to Show\u201d option that pops up, select \u201cDepth\u201d then hit the blue \u201cDone\u201d button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #8:<\/strong> In relation to the plate boundary, where are the deepest earthquakes located? What about the shallowest quakes?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #9:<\/strong> In knowing what happens, in terms of the process of <strong>subduction<\/strong>, at this type of plate boundary, explain why the earthquake depth pattern is the way it is. In other words, explain your answers from question #8.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #10:<\/strong> Zoom out so the world is in view. Next, visit the following places below and complete the table.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wrap-Up Questions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Haiti<\/li>\n<li>Intraplate earthquakes<\/li>\n<li>Connect EQ with ENV science<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Part 2 \u2013 Plate Tectonics &amp; Volcanoes<\/h2>\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>For this portion, you\u2019ll be exploring a different interactive map (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/webmap\/viewer.html?webmap=140510ed00944ad596b8ebfde48c8a56\">Plate Type Effect on Volcanoes<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>On the left side of the map, click &#8220;Layers&#8221; tab. Check the \u201cPlate Boundaries\u201d box. Hover underneath that box and click on the \u201cShow Legend\u201d icon.<\/li>\n<li>Check the \u201cGlobal Volcanoes\u201d box. Hover underneath that box and click on the \u201cShow Legend\u201d icon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #1:<\/strong> Which type of plate boundary has the most volcanoes?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Next, go to California.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #2:<\/strong> Where do you see volcanoes in the state? With what type of plate boundary do you not see volcanoes associated with?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #3:<\/strong> With what type of plate boundary, in California, do you not see volcanoes associated with?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Next, go to Hawaii.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #4:<\/strong> What type of volcano is Hawaii dominantly composed of? Is Hawaii associated with a plate boundary? How can this be explained?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Now, zoom back out to see the Earth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question #5:<\/strong> Note all the potential hotspots that you see on Earth. Approximately what proportion of the world\u2019s hotspots are in the ocean versus on continents? Give your answer with percentages.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question #6:<\/strong> What volcano type do you notice most of the world\u2019s continental hot spots are?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Wrap-Up Questions:<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>What plate boundary types are not associated with volcanoes? Briefly explain why these boundaries are not conducive to volcano formation.<\/li>\n<li>Two of the most common volcano types are shield &amp; fissure volcanoes as well as composite volcanoes. They erupt with very different behaviors. Hence, they present different environmental hazards. Briefly explain how each volcano type (with the main hazard listed) can specifically alter their surrounding ecosystems.\n<ul>\n<li>Shield\/Fissure, like in Hawaii (main hazard are slow-moving lava flows) &#8211;<\/li>\n<li>Composite, like in the Pacific Northwest (main hazard is ash) \u2013<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Part 3 \u2013 Practice with Rock &amp; Mineral Identification!<\/h2>\n<h3>Directions:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>For this portion, you\u2019ll be given a suite of minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks, as well as identification tables and tools to guide you in the identification process.<\/li>\n<li>Identify all the provided specimens as best as you can!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-59","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/59","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":170,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/59\/revisions\/170"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/59\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accenvscilabmanual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}