Science Homework Help

Directions:

Part A: The Path to Plate Tectonics

1. Explain Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift. Include in your explanation the types of evidence he used to support the hypothesis, and why his idea did not gain wide acceptance at the time.   

2. Describe some of the scientific advancements that provided evidence for plate movement and led to the theory of plate tectonics.

3. Watch this YouTube animation showing how the tectonic plates looked around 235 million years ago. The animation begins with the supercontinent, Pangaea, and shows how the plates moved through time to their present configuration. What continents did North America be attached to during Pangaea time?
[YouTube video by Tech Insider (September 2017). How the earth will look in 250 million years.| 2:06 min]
4. How does the Theory of Plate Tectonics explain why those continents are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean and still moving apart?

Part B – Plate Tectonics in Action

You may want to do some research beyond the textbook to get an idea of what these features look like in a cross section view. Hand drawings or those created using drawing programs are acceptable. It is fine to model after an existing diagram, but all work should be original.  

5. Divergent plate boundary: Create a time-series of drawings to illustrate seafloor spreading at the mid-ocean ridge (MOR). Use as much geologic detail as possible, and create at least two drawings. See section 2.4.2 of the textbook for an idea. Include a title for this drawing, label the main features, and provide a legend if colors are used.

6. Convergent plate boundary: Create a drawing of what is happening at a subduction zone where an oceanic plate is subducting under a continental plate. Use as much geologic detail as possible. See section 2.3.1 of your textbook for some ideas. Include a title for this drawing, label the main features, and provide a legend if colors are used.

7.Transform plate boundary: Create a drawing of what is happening where two plates are moving laterally with respect to each other. Use arrows to indicate motion.