DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER

GIVE ME MY NAME (PLATE)

Brief Descriptions: The Earth crust is divided into segments called plates. There are at least 7
major/large plates and 8 minor or smaller plates. Major plates as having an area more than 20,000,000
km2 and minor plates as having an area less than 20,000,000 km2 to about 1,000,000 km2.

Instructions/Procedures:
A. Study the map below. Name the different major and minor plates then complete Table 1

Figure 1. WORLD TECTONIC PLATE

(https://www.jkgeography.com/uploads/1/0/8/4/108433405/565196603_orig.jpg)
Table 1

MAJOR PLATES MINOR PLATES

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8
DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER
Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces
BY ANNE E. EGGER, PH.D.

By 1962, the idea that pieces of the Earth's surface moved around no longer seemed radical. The
concepts of continental drift and seafloor spreading had revolutionized geology, and scientists
excitedly began to revise their interpretations of existing data into a comprehensive theory of plate
tectonics. For example, geologists had long recognized that earthquakes are not randomly distributed
on the Earth.

In fact, earthquakes are concentrated along the plate boundaries drawn by Harry Hess along mid-
ocean ridges and subduction zones. Not all earthquakes occur at the same depth, however. Where
Hess had postulated that the rocks of the ocean floor were diving down into subduction zones,
earthquakes occur at shallow depths of 0 to 33 km below the surface near the trenches and at depths
of almost 700 km below the surface further inland. On the other hand, only shallow earthquakes
(depths of 0 to 33 km) are recorded at the spreading ridges. These data helped geologists draw more
detailed cross-sections showing that plates are thin at spreading ridges, and that subduction extends
long distances, taking plates deep beneath the continents.

Similar to earthquakes, volcanoes are located preferentially on or near plate boundaries. Different
kinds of volcanoes occur along different types of plate boundaries. Most of the volcanic eruptions
that make the news, such as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption, take place near subduction zones.
These devastating, explosive eruptions reflect the composition of the magma - it is extremely viscous,
or thick and resistant to flow, and thus results in tall, steep-sided volcanoes. In contrast, the volcanic
eruptions that occur along spreading ridges are much gentler, in part because most of these eruptions
occur under 2 to 3 kilometers of water, but also because the magma is far less viscous.

These observations about the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes helped geologists define the
processes that occur at spreading ridges and subduction zones. In addition, they helped scientists
recognize that there are other types of plate boundaries. In general, plate boundaries are the scene of
much geologic action - earthquakes, volcanoes, and dramatic topography such as mountain ranges
like the Himalayas are all concentrated where two or more plates meet along a boundary.

Source: https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Earth-Science/6/Plates-Plate-Boundaries-and-
Driving-Forces/66/reading

Questions:

1. True or False. According to Theory of Plate Tectonics, earthquakes are randomly distributed
on the Earth.
2. What type of earthquake occurs in mid-ocean ridges based on Harry Hess’ observations?
3. Aside from earthquakes, what other landform is located on or near plate boundary?
4. Generally, what scenes of geologic actions are found in plate boundaries?
5. Do you think Philippines is located in plate boundary? Why or why not?