GEO 001

Lab 1

LABORATORY 1 - EARTH STRUCTURE & DIAGNOSTIC

MINERAL PROPERTIES
Name: Phuong Ton
Goals: To learn about earth’s structure and plate tectonics.
To become familiar with the evidence for plate tectonics
Contents to be Completed for Credit: Lab tasks (p. 1-4) THIS LAB IS NUMBERED ONE FOR
OBVIOUS REASONS. IT WILL BE GRADED!
IMPORTANT: Two choices for turning in this lab…
1.) You may input your answers in this word document directly by replacing the answer lines “ _______ “ with your
answer, just make sure you write your answers in a different legible text color (show us your favorite colors!)
2.) You may print this document and fill it out by hand. Then scan it as a PDF.
Please send your lab to your section’s TA in either a word document or PDF.
(Adam: ahoff003@ucr.edu, Nick: nmamm001@ucr.edu)
PART 1: Earths Structure
Geology is the study of the Earth, including its physical and chemical structure, and the
processes that form our landscape today. To start, we must learn the about Earth, as a whole,
and the mechanical and chemical layers that are present.

Identify, as a class, the defining layers of the Earth.

Answers:
A - atmosphere, B - hydrosphere, C - asthenosphere, D - lithosphere,
E –mesosphere, F – outer core, G – inner core, H - crust,
I – mantle, J – continental crust, K – oceanic crust, L - core

The mantle is primarily composed of the minerals iron and magnesium silicates.

The main difference between oceanic and continental crust is their thickness; continental crust has
higher amounts of thickness than oceanic crust, thus having a lower thickness.
Word Bank (continues on next page)
Density Mantle Asthenosphere Core Atmosphere
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GEO 001: Lab 1

Crust Hydrosphere Outer Core Pyroxene Oceanic Crust

Continental Crust Lithosphere Olivine Mesosphere Composition
Silica Inner Core

-Jump to Plate Tectonics Exercise-

Plate Tectonics & Plate Boundaries

The lithosphere is broken up in to rigid blocks called plates. These rigid blocks are in constant
motion relative to one another. There are 3 types of plate boundaries that exist on Earth,
convergent, divergent and transform. Note: There are 2 types of convergent boundaries
depending on which two types of crust collide, continental – continental and oceanic –
continental.

1.1. Identify, as a class, which model represents each boundary and answer the questions
below.
A - divergent__________________ B – transform

C - convergent (continental-oceanic) D - convergent (continental-continental)

1.2. Describe in words, what happens when an oceanic plate and continental plate collide?
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GEO 001: Lab 1

When an oceanic plate and continental plate collide, the oceanic crust gets subducted beneath the
continental crust at the trench because it’s much denser than the continental crust. The subduction
causes a chain of volcanoes, called volcanic arc

1.3. What is the mechanism for plate tectonics?

The old idea of driving mechanism is convecting, yet the new idea is slab-pull and ridge-push. Slab-
pull means gravity pulls a subducting downward, and ridge-push is when elevated mid-ocean ridge
pushes lithosphere away

Study the map and answer the questions below

1.4. What type of plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault system? Transform

1.5. If the San Andreas Fault is a plate boundary and is located to the east of Riverside then we are
currently on the Pacific plate

1.6. If the Nazca Plate is oceanic crust and the west of the South American Plate is continental
crust, which plate is being subducted? Nazca Plate

1.7. Highlight or Circle One: The Atlantic Mid Ocean Ridge (N-S ridge located in the Atlantic
Ocean) is making the North American plate and the Eurasian plate to move… closer together |
farther apart

1.8. Where on the map should chains of volcanos exist? Cocos Plate
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GEO 001: Lab 1

Hot Spots
1.9. Volcanic activity also occurs outside
of plate boundaries. A hot spot is formed
when melt in the mantle rises up as a
plume, forming volcanoes on the
overlying crust. If hot spots maintain
their position over time and overriding
plates continue in their trajectory.
Indicate which direction the plate is
moving by highlighting or circling the
correct arrow:  