Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of geology. The story of the development of the theory of plate tectonics is a story of science in action. It has been developed and modified over the centuries by the observations and influences of numerous scientists. In this assignment, you will see that our explanations for natural phenomena change as more information becomes available, that creative thinking and imagination are vital to scientific endeavors, and that science produces a growing, changing, and expanding body of knowledge. In this assignment, you will also become familiar with the tectonic mechanics of the theory and get to apply your artistic skills in sketching and illustrating different plate boundaries.
Resources:
Understanding plate motions [Website by United States Geological Survey. (2014). Understanding Plate Motions]
Seafloor spreading [YouTube video by IRIS Earthquake Science. (May 2012). Divergent Boundary—Fast Spreading Ridge Educational| 1.09 min]
Assignment Instructions
Part A: The Path to Plate Tectonics
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.
Describe some of the scientific advancements that provided evidence for plate movement and led to the theory of plate tectonics.
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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
Requirements
To earn maximum points:
Length and Detail: Observe a 300-word minimum (in total) with adequate length and detail for each response.
Originality: Use your own words. Broward College uses Turnitin services to detect plagiarism.
Formatting: Format your assignment so it is well organized for the reader.
Illustrations: these must be your own creation. You may scan these drawings and attach them to this assignment or insert them in the document with your responses
References: Include credits (links) to the resources you used for information and any images you used for this assignment.
