INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY LAB EXPERIMENT : PLATE TECTONICS

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The following is a summary of the questions in this lab for ease in submitting answers online 1. Brazil - Latitude: 100 34’ 48.45” S Longitude: 360 34’ 03.34” W 2. Angola - Latitude: 10... 45’ 16.78” S Longitude: 100 16’ 01.38” E 3. Measure in centimeters the distance (Map Length) between the two points you recorded in the previous question. Given that this portion of Pangaea broke apart 200,000,000 years ago, calculate how fast South America and Africa are separating in cm/year? (Hint: Speed= Distance/Time) Using Google distance Tool – Distance = 521,975,385. 36 cm Speed = Distance/Time Speed = 521,975,385.36 cm/ 200,000,000 years Speed = 2.61 cm/year 4. When will the next supercontinent form? Examine the Western Coast of South America, the Eastern Coast of Asia, and the Pacific Ocean. If South America and Africa are separating and the Atlantic Ocean is growing, then the opposite must be occurring on the other side of the earth (the Americas are getting closer to Asia and the Pacific Ocean is shrinking). How far apart are North America and Mainland Asia in cm? (measure the distance across the Pacific at 40 degrees north latitude- basically measure between Northern California and North Korea)? Take that distance and divide it by the speed you calculated in question 3 to estimate when the next supercontinent will form. Show your work! Google distance along 400 latitude = 902,360,000 cm Speed from above = 2.61 cm/year Time to closure = 902,360,000 cm/ 2.61 cm/yr Time to closure = 345,731,800 years or approximately 345.7 million years 5. How far have the snake fossils moved apart since they were originally deposited? a. 1250 miles b. 1700 miles c. 2150 miles d. 2700 miles 6. Given that this portion of the Australian plate moves at a speed of 2.2 inches per year, how old are the snake fossils? a. 310 million years old b. 217 million years old c. 98 million years old d. 62 million years old e. 34 million years old Work – 2150 miles (from 5) = 136,220,000 inches [Show More]

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