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Teachers' Domain - Digital Media for the Classroom and Professional Development Search Teachers' Domain Go User: My Folders Loading... Create a new folder Upload Media My Groups No groups created yet. Create a new Group Join a Group My Profile HELP | SIGN OUT Please sign in for full access This Teachers' Domain feature requires registration, which is simple, safe, and free. Register Now Citation "Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes." Teachers' Domain. 17 Dec. 2005. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. .

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Signing in now will connect your and Teachers' Domain accounts, so that in the future you will automatically be signed into Teachers' Domain when you come from . Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes Resource for Grades 6-12 | Citation Media Type: Interactive Running Time: Size: 260.0 KB View or Download SAVE TO FOLDER Loading... Save Cancel Share | Source: Produced for Teachers' Domain Resource Produced by: Collection Developed by: Collection Credits Collection Funded by: Related Resources: Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker (Interactive) Plate Tectonics: An Introduction (Video) Plate Tectonics: Further Evidence (Video) Plate Tectonics: The Scientist Behind the Theory (Video)   See Also: National K -12 Subject: Internal Earth Processes Surface Processes Lesson Plans Using this Resource: Plate Tectonics According to theory of plate tectonics, Earth is an active planet — its surface is composed of many individual plates that move and interact, constantly changing and reshaping Earth's outer layer. Volcanoes and earthquakes both result from the movement of tectonic plates. In this interactive activity produced for Teachers' Domain with images from NASA, see the relationship between earthquakes and volcanoes and the boundaries of tectonic plates. Permitted use: Download and Share Background Essay Volcanoes and earthquakes are seemingly very different geological events, yet they are actually closely related — both result from movements of Earth's crust. Earth's crust — the lithosphere — is composed of several major plates and many minor plates that change shape and position. Over time, these tectonic plates move, interact with each other, and are responsible for the formation of ocean basins, mountain ranges, islands, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The theory of plate tectonics is relatively new. In the early 1900s, Alfred Wegener first developed a theory of continental drift based on a collection of evidence that showed striking similarities in rocks and fossils found on continents separated by vast distances. Sometime later, Arthur Holmes proposed a mechanism to explain how the continents could have moved across Earth's surface. He proposed that circular convection currents of molten material deep within Earth could provide ample force to divide and move continents. By the late 1960s, evidence of seafloor spreading helped to support the now well-accepted theory of plate tectonics. Three main types of boundaries exist between tectonic plates. The first, called a divergent boundary, occurs most often at mid-oceanic ridges. Here, two plates move away from each other, forming a break, or rift, in Earth's crust. Magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap, creating new crust. The second type, called a convergent boundary, occurs where two plates moving toward each other meet. If at least one of the plates is made up of relatively dense oceanic crust, the denser of the two plates subducts, or slides beneath the other. If both plates are made up of continental crust, very little subduction occurs. Instead, the plates buckle and fold to create valleys, ridges, and high mountain ranges. The last type of boundary is called a transform boundary. At these locations, plates slide roughly alongside each other in opposite directions. The plates often get stuck as they move past each other, leading to a build-up of tension, which is ultimately released in the form of an earthquake. The zones along plate boundaries are the most geologically active regions on Earth. Earthquakes are common along all types of boundaries and occur all over the world; volcanoes are generally associated with divergent and convergent boundaries. One of the most well-known plate boundaries encircles the Pacific Ocean, and the frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity along this circle of boundaries have caused it to be dubbed the Ring of Fire. Print Background Essay Discussion Questions What phenomena would you expect to see at each of the three different plate boundary types? What do you notice about the distribution of volcanoes? What do you notice about the distribution of earthquakes? Explain how volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate boundaries are related. There are some volcanoes and earthquakes that are not located at plate boundaries. How could you explain their locations? Print Discussion Questions Standards About Standards | Report a Standards Mismatch About Standards | Report a Standards Mismatch About Standards | Report a Standards Mismatch   close Report a standards correlation problem To help improve this service, please report and describe any standards correlations that you find to be inaccurate. close About standards correlation Academic standards correlations on Teachers' Domain use the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) database of state and national standards, provided to NSDL projects courtesy of JES & Co. We assign reference terms to each statement within a standards document and to each media resource, and correlations are based upon matches of these terms for a given grade band. 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