Plate Tectonic - Plate Tectonics (5)
Lab 

PROBLEM: What theories can explain volcano and earthquake distributions on the Earth?

PREDICTION:

THEORY 1. EXPANDING EARTH

Make a paste mixture using approximately 1/4 cup water and 2 heaping teaspoons of flour. Blow up a balloon halfway. As one partner holds the balloon, the other partner will put a thin coating of mixture on about 1/4 of the balloon. This is creates a model of the Earth’s crust. As one partner slowly blows up the balloon; record what happens.

THEORY 2. CONTRACTING EARTH

Clean the balloon, and blow it up completely. Coat the balloon with the paste mixture to again model the crust. Deflate the balloon slowly, and record what happens.

THEORY 3. PLATE TECTONICS

Describe what happens when you apply equal or unequal pressures to the various objects, using your hands as charted below. Your teacher will clarify the diagrams.

Al=aluminum; w = wax paper= hand movement
  1. Al

 2. 
     Al
    		3. Al 
            W
             Al		 4. Al
        W
        Al
EQUAL
PRESSURE		        
UNEQUAL
PRESSURE		        

CONCLUSION: Which theory best explains the features of the Earth? Why?

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