Questions:
1. Turn off the earthquake, active volcano, and the seafloor age layers by unchecking the adjacent boxes within the side panel. Pan around the globe and answer the following:
a. Focusing on the Atlantic Ocean, describe the shape of the continents on both sides of the Atlantic relative to one another. Do they have symmetrical coastlines?
b. What large, linear, feature occurs half-way across (E-W) the Atlantic Ocean?
c. How far, in general, (do not need distances) does this feature extend north-south?
d. Is there a similar looking feature within the Pacific Ocean?
2. Turn on the earthquake and active volcano layers, and turn off the topo-bathymetry layer.
a. Describe the relationship between the feature mentioned in #1 and the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes.
b. Each yellow dot with cross hairs is the epicenter of an earthquake. Earthquake data set spans 19 years (1986-2005). How deep are the earthquakes along the feature mentioned in #1 (use the key)? Are these considered to be shallower or deeper?
c. Describe the relationship between active volcanoes and the feature mentioned in #1. According to this data, are there very many active volcanoes associated with this feature?
3. Turn on the Seafloor Age layer.
a. Describe the pattern of distribution seafloor ages across the Atlantic. Where is the seafloor youngest and where is it the oldest?
b. What is the significance of this pattern?
c. Determine the age of the oldest seafloor (anywhere in the world)
d. Determine the age of the youngest seafloor (anywhere in the world
e. Of the above two ages (c, d), which indicates the age of the Atlantic Ocean? What is the name of this geologic period (use the geologic time scale in your lecture book)?
4. Finally, what is this feature (mentioned in #1) and what is its significance?
5. Turn off all layers under the Global Tectonics.
6. Turn off the USGS Magnitude 2.5+ Earthquakes layer.
a. Using this more extensive data set, analyze the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes around the Pacific Rim. Remember that earthquakes are colored by depth.
i. The earthquakes and volcanoes coincide with what major topographic features on the seafloor?
ii. Why do earthquakes and volcanoes occur in narrow, linear bands around the planet?
iii. Why do more earthquakes occur within the Pacific Rim than in the Atlantic Ocean?
7. Within the Search portion of Google Earth sidebar type Japan and hit enter.
a. What topographic feature on the ocean floor occurs just east of Japan?
b. Why do the earthquakes become progressively deeper towards the west (Asia/Russia)?
c. Based on this information, what direction is the pacific plate moving relative to the Asian Plate?
d. What is causing the formation of the volcanic island arc that makes up Japan?
8. What type of plate boundary occurs around the edges of the Pacific Rim and what is its significance relative to earthquakes and volcanic activity?
9. In the google earth search sidebar, type Hawaii.
a. How were the Hawaiian Islands built?
b. Is Hawaii in the middle of the pacific plate or along one of its edges? Explain why.
10. Turn on the topography/bathymetry layer and zoom out. Note the “L-shaped” linear chain of conical “hills” extending towards the northwest.
a. What are these?
b. How did they form?
c. How can these be used to track the Pacific Plate motion through time?

Questions: 1. Turn off the earthquake, active volcano, and the s...