Name: ________________________________

Dynamic Earth Web Quest

Go to:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/index.html
Click on Start your exploration into Earths Structure
Earths Structure:
Mouse over the diagram to respond to the following questions
1. What is the thickness, in miles, of the following layers:
a) Crust: _______________ under oceans & __________
thick under continents.
b) Mantle: ______________
c) Outer Core: ____________
d) Inner Core: _____________
2. Label the diagram of Earth to the right
3. Describe the Lithosphere:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Describe the Asthenosphere:____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Plate Tectonics:
5. The Theory of Plate Tectonics is attributed to German scientist ______________________________.
6. The original large land mass or Supercontinent is referred to as ___________________ which is Greek for
______________________________.
7. Complete the table:
200 million yrs ago

135 million yrs ago

65 million yrs ago

50 40 million yrs ago

- _____________ begins
to break up w/
_____________ in the
North &
_____________ in the
South

- __________________
splits
- S. America/Africa
separates from
________________ /
________________

- Laurasia begins to
separate with
_________________ &
__________________
breaking apart
- S. America &
Madagascar split from
___________________

- ___________________
separates from N. America
- _____________
separates from
________________ &
moves North

- ______________
breaks away from
- Indian landmasses
Antarctica/Australia
collide w/ _____________
8. Plate Tectonics Theory has been widely accepted since the ___________s. It states that Earths outer layer
or _________________ is broken up into ________________. These plates hold ______________________
and _____________________. They are constantly _________________.
9. Continents over time BONUS QUESTION: Since the plates are constantly in motion, scientists predict that
250 million years from now the continents will come together to for
_______________________________________ called ________________ ____________________.
Plate Boundaries:
10. Continental crust underlies ______________________ and is _______________ miles thick,
whereas __________________________ is found under the ocean and is only ___________ miles thick.
11. Name the three types of plate boundaries below. Create a simple diagram of each including arrows to show
the direction of their movement & list some examples of that type of boundary
_________________ Boundary
Diagram:

_________________ Boundary
Diagram:

12. Use colored pencil or marker to

indicate the types of boundaries on the
map to the right. Create a key below:
Convergent
Divergent
Transform

_________________ Boundary
Diagram:

Label the following plates on the map:

N. America Plate, Eurasian Plate, Pacific
Plate, Antarctic Plate, African Plate
13. How many plates did you place
correctly? __________ score

Slip, Slide & Collide

14. At convergent boundaries tectonic plates _________________________________
15. Roll over the diagram to define the following terms:
a) subduction zone: ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
b.) trench: ___________________________________________________________________________
c.) volcanoes: ________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
d.) tsunami:___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
16. Mountain range in Asia that was formed by colliding tectonic plates: ________________________. This
mountain range continues to grow by ________ inch(s) per year.
17. At divergent boundaries tectonic plates are __________________________________________.
18. What is Sea Floor Spreading? _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
19. Volcanoes form in both _______________________ and _________________________ boundaries.
20. At transform boundaries tectonic plates _____________________________________________.
21. A crack or fracture in Earths crust is a ________________________.
22. Explain what causes earthquakes. Provide a detailed answer & include the terms: tectonic plates & stress
in your response. _________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
23. What type of fault is the San Andreas Fault in California? _________________________________
24. The San Andreas fault runs between the _________________________ & ___________________ plates
and is approximately _____________ miles long.
25. Interactive Quiz: Plate Interactions Challenge What was your best Score? ________

TEST SKILLS: Complete this section and be prepared to print PAGE 1 ONLY of the Results page when you
finish.
You answered _______ out of 30 questions correct. Your score was _______%

Where do most earthquake epicenters and volcanoes occur?

Keywords: online volcano earthquake lab
Click on Virtual Lab- Glencoe (first link)
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/E27/E27.html
PROCEDURE:
A. Read the background and the procedure on the right hand side.
B. Scroll through the earthquake locations and click the correct dot on the map. Fill in the data table as you go.
C. When all epicenters have been found, watch the video on earthquakes.
D. Click on the volcanoes button, find the location of the volcanoes using latitude and longitude and record the
information in the data table.
E. When all volcanoes have been found, watch the video on volcanoes.
F. Answer the questions.
DATA:
on the next page
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there a relationship between the locations of earthquake epicenters, volcanoes, and plate boundaries? If so,
describe the relationship.

2. Why do you think the area around the Pacific Plate is called the Pacific Ring of Fire?

How Does a GPS Transmitter Work on Studying Plate Movements?

http://classroom.synonym.com/gps-transmitter-work-studying-plate-movements-23522.html
A. Go to the following link and read over the article.
B. Answer the questions below.
QUESTIONS:
1.What does GPS stand for?

2. Summarize how scientists use GPS to track plate boundaries.

Convection Current Videos

http://maggiesscienceconnection.weebly.com/mantle-convection-plate-tectonics-earthquakes--volcanoes.html

A. Before you watch the video (convection currents on the right hand side), answer the question below.
1. In the video the teacher heats up water in the center of the container, and then puts blue dye on one side and
red dye on the other side. What do you think will happen to the dye?

2. Watch the video, describe what happens to the dye?

3. What does the water and light represent in the model?

B. Watch the second video (plate tectonics).

1. What kind of accent do you think the narrator has?

2. How is this video similar to the first one you watched?

Read the Earthquake Graph

Frequency of Occurrence of Earthquakes
Magnitude

Average Annually

8 and higher

7 - 7.9

15

6 - 6.9

134

5 - 5.9

1319

4 - 4.9

13,000
(estimated)

3 - 3.9

130,000
(estimated)

2 - 2.9

1,300,000
(estimated)

1. As the magnitude gets higher, the number of earthquakes get higher, lower, stays the same. (circle one)

Sea Floor Spreading

A. Watch the animation about sea floor spreading.
http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/animate/A48.gif
B. Label the diagram from the youngest (1) to oldest (3) rock location.

Bill Nye Volcano or Earthquake Video

Volcanoes- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnRwuaJAIvU
Earthquakes- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmLuK82KII8
A. Pick ONE Bill Nye video and watch the entire video.
B. Write five things you DIDNT know until you watched the video. MUST BE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES
1.

2.
3.

4.

5.

Trigger an Earthquake
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/04/forcesofnature/interactive/index.html?section=e
A. Click the set off an earthquake button in the bottom right hand side.
B. Read about building construction and earthquakes on the left hand side.
C. Then click on the ground type and magnitude and hit the start earthquake button.
D. Fill in the data table with all the possibilities.
E. Answer the questions.
DATA:
Trigger each type of earthquake and note the differences.
Ground
Type
Bedrock

Magnitud
e
Low

Observations

(what happened to the building and waves bottom of screen)

Bedrock

High

Fault Zone

Low

Fault Zone

High

Landfill

Low

Landfill

High

1. What is landfill made of?

2. On what type of ground would you want to build a home?

3. Many suburban areas are constructed on landfill. Why is this a dangerous practice in areas prone to
earthquakes?

Preparing for Earthquakes

http://www.usgs.gov/faq/?q=taxonomy/term/9834
A. Use the link above to search the webpage for the answers to the following questions.
1. List three things you should do during an earthquake.

2. List three things you should NOT do during an earthquake.

3. List three things you do after an earthquake.

4. List three things you need for emergency supplies.

Earthquake History
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/today/
1. Look up todays date. What happened on this day in Earthquake History?
Todays Date:
Name:
(example M6.4)

Country:

Year:

Fact:

2. Look up your birthday. Summarize what happened in Earthquake History on your birthday (even if it
wasnt the same year).
My Birthday Is:
Name:
(example M6.4)
Fact:

Country:

Year:

Ohio Earthquake
http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/OhioSeis/epicentr.pdf
A. Read and interpret the map.
1. What year(s) did an earthquake originate in Perry County?
2. What was their magnitude scale(s)?
3. Were instruments or non-instruments used for the magnitude reading?

Ohio Earthquake Hazard

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/ohio/hazards.php
1. What county has the highest seismic hazard level in Ohio? (hint you might need to look somewhere else)

2. What seismic hazard level color is Perry County?

Mechanical and Chemical Forces Break Down Rocks

http://classzone.com/science_book/mls_grade7_FL/231_236.pdf
A. Read the section over mechanical and chemical weathering.
B. Then answer the following questions.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is weathering?

2. What are the four causes of mechanical weathering?

3. How is ice wedging and plant root growth similar?

4. How does mechanical weathering affect the rate of chemical weathering?

5. Would weathering affect a marble sculpture inside a museum? Explain your answer.

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6. The word weather is most commonly used to refer to the state of the atmosphere at a certain time. Why
do you think the same word is used to refer to the breakdown of rocks?

7. Weathering is slowly destroying the ancient stone monument that is in New York City. Can you think of
a reason why weathering is a good thing?

Cleopatras Needle Experiment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5qRnbhtako
A. Watch the video about Cleopatras Needle. Make sure you pay attention the directions toward the end.
B. Ask the teacher for the materials and perform the experiment yourself.
C. Answer the questions below.

QUESTIONS:
1. What design did you etch into the chalk?

2. When you added the vinegar did you notice any bubbles or pieces falling off the chalk?

3. How is chemical weathering similar to chemical reactions?

(Think back. You might need to look it up the definitions in the textbook.)

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How do certain factors affect the erosion of soil by water?

Keywords: online erosion lab
Click on Virtual Lab- Glencoe (first link)
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/ES08/ES08.html
Procedure:
1. Read the background and the procedure on the right hand side.
2. Make a hypothesis of how to make the most or least amount of runoff by changing slope, vegetation,
and rain intensity.
3. Test different combinations and record data in chart. You can record the amount of sediment in runoff
as low, moderate, or high.
4. Answer conclusion questions.
Hypothesis:
If I have the slope at _____________________ degrees, _____________________ vegetation, and
________________
rain intensity, than my runoff will be _______________________________________.
Data:
Slope
Degrees
30

Vegetation
yes

Rain
Intensity
low

30

yes

high

30

no

low

30

no

high

10

yes

low

10

yes

high

10

no

low

10

no

high

Sediment Level

Questions:
1. Did the result of your experiment support your hypothesis? Why or why not?

3. Which variable (slope, vegetation, rain intensity) do you think has the strongest influence on the
amount of water erosion that occurs on a slope? Why?

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4. What are some other factors that might influence erosion?

5. What would happen if the angle of the slope were increased to an angle steeper than 30 degrees? What
would happen if the amount of vegetation were cut by 50 percent?

How are materials from the earth broken down?

Keywords: online weathering lab
Click on Virtual Lab- Glencoe (first link)
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/E06/E06.html
Procedure:
1. Read the background and the procedure on the right hand side.
2. Test the two types of weathering on each scene and record data in chart. (next page)
3. Answer conclusion questions.
Data:
On next page
Questions:
1. Which scenes that you observed show example of mechanical weathering? Why?

2. Which scenes that you observed show example of chemical weathering? Why?

3. What do you think would be the weathering effects of moving a rock sculpture from a dry climate to a
wet climate?

4. What effect do small burrowing animals and earthworms have on the rocks and soil in the ground?

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5. In terms of weathering, explain what will happen to a set of metal tools left outdoors in the rain for a
long time?

6. Is it possible for any of the earth materials scenes to be affected by both mechanical and chemical
weathering? If so, describe the scene and situations.

Bill Nye Video EROSION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Wqrhe9n4A
A. Watch the Bill Nye video on erosion. Answer the questions below as you go.
1. What are the different kinds of erosion?

2. WATER FLOW EROSION MODEL OF SCIENCE: What happens when a stream of water flows
over the mineral salt?

3. EXPANDING ICE BOTTLE OF SCIENCE: What happens when liquid water gets in cracks of
rocks and freezes?

4. WIND EROSION: What happens to the foam mountains when Bill sprays sand at them?

5. What does the coin act as to prevent erosion in the soil as it rains?

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6. Iron turning into rust and copper turning green is example of what kind of erosion?

7. How are mushroom rocks formed?

8. Rocks are reduced to what?

9. How can people slow erosion down?

10. Is erosion a slow or fast process?

11. What are lichen?

12. What is a hoodoo?

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EXTRA TIME?
Finished with the packet? Explore the links below!
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/views/hhView.cfm?guidAssetId=CD2F0CCC-B917-4D35-94260B593EE91C29
Erosion Lab- This link is similar the factors of soil erosion lab. You can change the type of soil, water
level, plants, etc.
http://sciencenetlinks.com/media/filer/2011/10/07/forces.swf
Weathering Quiz- Choose a force of nature to change the scenery. Play a few times, questions change.
http://www.phschool.com/atschool/phsciexp/active_art/mass_movement/index.html
Mass Movement- Explore different types of mass movement. Select a type of mass movement and drag
landscape onto the hill, and then press start. Watch what happens!
http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/bridgetoclassroom/engineeringfor.html
Bridge Challenge- Read and explore how engineers build bridges to survive earthquakes. You can build a
bridge with safety features and then test it out. Can your bridge survive a 9.0 earthquake? (my favorite)

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