Chapter 5: Plate Tectonics: Teaching Support For Pages 180-181 Syllabus Links

Chapter 5: Plate tectonics
Teaching support for pages 180181

Syllabus links
Outcomes
SC5-12ES A student describes changing ideas about the structure of the Earth and the universe to
illustrate how models, theories and laws are refined over time by the scientific community
SC5-13ES A student explains how scientific knowledge about global patterns of geological activity and
interactions involving global systems can be used to inform decisions related to contemporary issues
Knowledge and Understanding

ES2 The theory of plate tectonics explains global patterns of geological activity and continental
movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
a outline how the theory of plate tectonics changed ideas about the structure of the Earth and
continental movement over geological time
b relate movements of the Earths plates to mantle convection currents and gravitational forces
c outline how the theory of plate tectonics explains earthquakes, volcanic activity and formation of
new landforms
d describe how some technological developments have increased scientific understanding of global
patterns in geological activity, including in the AsiaPacific region
Working scientifically
SC5-4WS Questioning and predicting
SC5-5WS Planning investigations
SC5-6WS Conducting investigations
SC5-7WS Processing and analysing data and information
SC5-8WS Problem solving
SC5-9WS Communicating
Learning across the curriculum
Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Literacy
Numeracy
Asia and Australias engagement with Asia
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
Work and enterprise
Information and communication technology capability
Teaching strategies
Introducing Chapter 5
This chapter builds on the following outcome from Stage 4, Outcome ES1: Sedimentary, igneous and
metamorphic rocks contain minerals and are formed by processes that occur within Earth over a variety of
timescales.
The chapter begins with an outline of the development of the theory of plate tectonics. The observations
and evidence that supported this theory are described. The underlying mechanisms that drive plate
tectonics are then illustrated. Classic examples of geology associated with plate tectonics, like the
Hawaiian island chain, are used to illustrate the features of a planet whose crust is divided into moving
plates. The different types of plate boundaries are then explored, along with some of the natural disasters
that are associated with them.
Teaching tips
When teaching this topic it is often good to link the concepts and material to current or recent events,
such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. This could involve watching short videos from the Internet,
reading an article or analysing data or maps from somewhere like the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Google Earth can also be used to explore the features visible on the surface of the Earth that are
associated with geological activity.
Teaching Earth Science is a great opportunity to have students access multiple sources of information to
piece together the big picture. This could be achieved using a jigsaw activity where student in each group
become experts in a piece of the puzzle and then return to their group, where the information is
synthesised.
Differentiation
For students with lower abilities:

The large amount of new vocabulary used in this topic can often be a hurdle to lower-ability
learners. Using activities like find-a-word, crosswords and other activities where students use the
terminology and refine their understanding of it would be helpful.
Use scaffolding when asking students to write text from a visual stimulus. A model example of a
piece of writing in another context is highly recommended when any student writes text in a certain
format for the first time. This helps the scaffold make sense.
For students with higher abilities:
There is a huge amount of information available about specific examples of all phenomena covered
in this chapter. For example, there are many activities available on the Internet designed around the
San Andreas fault in California. This gives numerous opportunities for more able students to pursue
an area of interest to a deeper level. A brainstorm at the beginning of a topic, including this chapter,
may allow you to identify some areas of interest.
A higher-order verb could be used for questions for more able students. If a description is required,
then students who find this easy could also be asked to explain what is happening.
Extra activities
Activity: Making a glossary
Ask students to keep a glossary of key words as they work through the chapter. It is a great literacy
strategy to help students through the topic. It may be wise to provide a template for the students to use
that includes the key words used in the topic and space for any words the students encounter during the
topic.
assess
Each chapter of the Insight Science 9 student text includes related assessments and testbank questions that
are graded for student ability and linked directly to the outcome statement codes in the Australian
Curriculum for NSW syllabus.
Assessments
Assessments are auto-marking multiple choice quizzes. Questions are graduated in difficulty so teachers
can assign as appropriate to students:
Support (foundation)
Consolidate (standard)
Extend (advanced)
Students can review their quiz results to see which questions they answered correctly or incorrectly.
Students can improve their results by attempting the quiz again with the challenge of randomised answer
options.

Testbank
Testbank provides teacher-only access to ready-made chapter tests. They consist of a range of multiple
choice, short answer and extended response questions with marking guidance for each short and extended
response question. Multiple choice questions are auto-graded.
The testbank can be used to generate tests for end of chapter, mid-year or end of year tests. Tests can be
printed, downloaded, or assigned online.
Assigning tests
In order to assign work to students, your students must first:
(i) have the obook in their Oxford Digital library;
(ii) have linked to your Oxford Digital account; and
(iii) be added to a class you have created.
1 For a step-by-step guide on getting started with your class set-up, click here:
https://obook2.oxforddigital.com.au/teacher/classadmin.html
2 For a step-by-step guide on assigning assessment for students, click here:

https://obook2.oxforddigital.com.au/help/assess/Assigning_work_using_assess_teachers.html
Results
Student results can be monitored and graphed, or exported to Excel for incorporation into an LMS.
3 For a step-by-step guide on using results in assess, click here:

https://obook2.oxforddigital.com.au/help/assess/Using_results_in_assess_Teachers.html
Resources
Student obook
Flashcard glossary
A review of the key terms used in Chapter 5.
Website: Geoscience Australia

Geoscience Australia website, where students can find specific information on the geology of Australia.
http://www.ga.gov.au/index.html
Website: Geoscience Australia earthquakes

Geoscience Australia website, where students can find specific information on earthquakes in and around
Australia.

http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/
Website: Geoscience Australia natural hazards

Geoscience Australia website, where students can find specific information on natural hazards in and
around Australia.
http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards.html
Teacher obook
Chapter 5 Teaching program
A customisable teaching program for Chapter 5.

Tectonic plates
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
Activity 5.1.1
Activity 5.1.2
Experiment 5.1.1

Questions 5.1.1

Activity 5.1.1
Activity 5.1.2
Literacy
Experiment 5.1.1
Literacy
Work and enterprise
Questions 5.1.1
Literacy
Teaching strategies
Introducing Section 5.1
The surface of our planet is divided into plates that are constantly on the move. Our short lifespan
compared with the age of the Earth means that the changes from year to year are hard to see. However, if
you look back into the history recorded in the rocks of the Earth you will find evidence of significant
change over time. Oceans and continents have come and gone, but their traces remain and scientists piece
together the puzzle to uncover the true nature of the surface of the Earth.
Common misconceptions
Students often use the terms continental drift and plate tectonics to mean the same thing. It is worth
clarifying that the continents are surface landmasses, whereas the tectonic plates are the things that are
actually moving.

Teaching tips
Now would be a good time to revise the concept of density because it is fundamental to an explanation of
convection. The reason for the change in density with temperature comes from an understanding of the
particle theory of matter. This theory is introduced in Stage 4 and used again in Stage 5. It would be
useful to visit it again in this situation because it will refresh and/or strengthen students understanding.
Additional information: Palaeomagnetism

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting the idea of sea floor spreading is the detection
of alternating palaeomagnetism in the volcanic rocks of the sea floor. The direction of the Earths
magnetic field is stored in a volcanic rock as it solidifies and cools. This means volcanic rocks carry a
remnant magnetic field from the time they formed. This remnant field can be measured in the rocks of the
sea floor and, when this is done, a surprising pattern is observed.
The remnant magnetism in the sea floor alternates from one direction to another as you move away from
a mid-ocean ridge. This pattern is repeated on the opposite side of the ridge, away in the opposite
direction. The Earths magnetic field is known to change direction by approximately 180 every few
thousand years. When the polarity of the Earths magnetic field switches, the segment of the sea floor
formed over several thousand years records the direction of the field. When the polarity switches again,
the next few thousand years of formation contains a remnant field in the opposite direction. The detection
of this alternating pattern mirrored on both sides of the mid-ocean ridge indicates that the sea floor is
spreading away from the mid-ocean ridge.
The alternating remnant magnetism of the sea floor can be modelled by having two pieces of paper
diverge from each other out of the small gap between the tops of two desks. As the paper comes onto the
top of the desk, colour both pieces the same colour for some time, representing remnant magnetism in one
direction. Then for a similar time use another colour, representing remnant magnetism in the other
direction. This activity, coupled with images representing the sea floors palaeomagnetism, should clarify
the idea of sea floor spreading in the minds of the students, as it does in the minds of scientists.
Extra activities
Starter activity: Geological time
The study of geology often requires some concept of the age of the Earth and an appreciation of the time
scales involved. A quick introductory activity that may be useful is to map out the history of the Earth
compressed into the time scale of one Earth year. There are many examples of this sort of activity that can
be found online. It will become clear to students that even the entire history of our species is just a single
moment compared with the geological time scale.
Starter activity: The internal structure of the Earth

At an appropriate place in this topic it may be necessary to review the internal structure of the Earth from
Insight Science 8 Chapter 6. Students will need to relate the layers of the Earth to one another in their
work on plate tectonics.

Activity: Fossils and flightless birds
Students could research early explanations for how similar fossils and flightless birds could appear on
different continents, before Wegener produced his theory.
Activity: Development of scientific theories

The theory of plate tectonics provides a great opportunity to illustrate to students the process of the
development of a scientific theory. Plate tectonics is a combination of the theory of sea-floor spreading
and continental drift. It was not universally accepted in the scientific community until the 1970s. There
are many resources available that allow students to explore the evidence and come to their own
conclusions. One example is the USGS Plate Tectonics Educational Resources website (see Teacher
obook resources).
Activity: Plate tectonic animations

Animations and images that convey the evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics are especially
useful here. There are links to many useful teaching resources that include images and videos at the
Educational visualisation resources weblink in the Teacher obook resources, including a collection of
animations that illustrate plate interactions at different types of plate boundaries.
One way of approaching this section would be to get students to explore these animations and have them
write detailed descriptions of what is occurring at each type of plate boundary. This is a great opportunity
for students to practice writing text from a visual stimulus.
Practical support
Activity 5.1.1 support
The purpose of this activity is to develop students willingness to think and postulate. Very few of the
answers to the questions are readily available from the content of the book. Students could either be
encouraged to debate their theories, or perform some research and present some definitive findings to the
group. Some suggested responses are:
many volcanoes are found on plate boundaries
the yellow arrows illustrate that convergent means coming together or colliding
significant eruptions causing death have occurred on plate boundaries
the majority of volcanic activity and earthquakes occur at converging rather than diverging
boundaries
Australian volcanoes could have formed along secondary and/or tertiary plate boundaries and where
the crust has experienced changing pressures and thinning
the map clearly shows why there are so many hot springs in New Zealand and why it has suffered
recently with earthquakes.

In addition, the map should stimulate discussion of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the site of most of the worlds
active volcanoes.

Often students imagine that tectonic plates map directly onto the shapes of the continents and so can
become confused when we refer to the supercontinent splitting because the coastlines do not fit perfectly.
This is because many of the plate boundaries are beneath the oceans and because there has been
significant coastal erosion over the years. Little is known about why the plates broke up in the way they
did and there is opportunity here to hypothesise about how these plates may behave in the future.
Research in some of the following areas may help to cement these concepts. What answers do scientists
currently have to the following questions?
Will the plates break up even more into smaller plates?
Have the plates ever combined into larger plates?
Why do different plates move at different speeds?
Do the plates always move in the same direction or have they changed course?
Is there another theory competing with the tectonic plate theory to explain aspects of the Earths
surface behaviour?
Although these questions are very difficult to answer definitively, the ideas explored will support
students conceptual understanding.
Experiment 5.1.1 support

Safety
Observe safety for using a Bunsen burner, wear protective clothing and safety goggles and have long hair
tied back.
A risk assessment template should be completed before undertaking this Experiment and by the lab
technician before preparing the chemicals for it. Suggested templates are provided in the teacher obook
resources.
Clean up
Do not put the mix of oil, rice and water down the sink. Collect beakers containing the mix for the lab
tech to dispose of appropriately.
Lab tech notes

Filter rice from the oil and water mix by using a sieve. Bury the rice or place it in the rubbish.

Collect oil by pouring the water and oil mix into a separating funnel. Allow the oil to settle to the
top. Drain the water to waste and collect the remaining oil in an oils waste bottle for reuse or
collection.
Expected results
Rice will rise to the top and then sink to the bottom in a constant circular motion. The oil will continue to
swirl on top of the water, allowing bubbles to break the surface.
Discussion
1 Rice is carried by the less dense (hotter) water, which rises.
2 This rising water causes the surface to move apart and this is a model for the break up of Pangaea.
The surface of the water represents the crust of Pangaea and the rising water represents the pliant
material within the mantle.
Alternative activity
As an alternative, observe convection in liquids using a drop of dye in water or smoke in air.
Answers
Questions 5.1.1 answers
1 As material heats, the particles vibrate more and so use more space. This leads to a reduction in
density, so these regions are pushed up by the more dense cooler regions as they fall. Thus currents
are formed.
2 The gravitational force due to the Earth pulls on the ends of the oceanic plates where they slide
under continental plates at convergent boundaries (subduction zones). This helps pull the oceanic
plates away from the mid-ocean ridges. The force of gravity is also vital for the formation of
convection cells in the Earths mantle, which drive plate movement; it is responsible for the pull on
the cooler and more dense parts of the mantle that fall inwards towards the centre of the Earth.
3 As currents within the mantle rise and spread, the ocean floor is moved with them, causing rifts (or
fractures) that allow molten rock to escape from beneath the crust, cool and fall to form ridges.
4 These ridges form at the fracture point and can take the form of volcanoes or very high mountains.
5 Student responses will vary; see Figures 5.1 and 5.2 for answers.
6 Scientists did not have a mechanism that could provide enough force to move the continents at the
time so they could not believe that they moved.
7 Magma is more dense than continental plates, therefore the plates float on the magma.
Resources
Student obook
Weblink: Layers of the earth interactive
This website has a simple interactive that gives details about the different layers of the Earth.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure.html
Weblink: Temperatures inside Earth

This website has an article about the temperature of the Earths core and how scientists measure it.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-the-earths-core-so/
Video link: Alfred Wegeners theory of continental drift

This video explains the origins of Wegeners theory of continental drift.
http://geography.howstuffworks.com/29267-100-greatest-discoveries-continental-drift-video.htm
Weblink: Plate boundary map

This website has a map of the world showing various plate boundaries. Information pop ups and a zoom
function make the map interactive.
http://geology.com/plate-tectonics.shtml
Weblink: Plate tectonics applet

This applet enables students to explore how plates move on the surface of the earth.
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/plate-tectonics
Workbook Activity 5.1 Continental drift

A PDF of Workbook Activity 5.1
Workbook Activity 5.2 Experiment modelling plate tectonics

Teacher obook
E5.1.1 Convection currents RA
A risk assessment template for students and teachers for Experiment 5.1.1
Website: USGS Plate Tectonics Educational Resources

A compilation of USGS Plate Tectonics Educational Resources.
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/about/edu/dynamicplanet/
Educational visualisation resources for plate tectonics

A compilation of educational visualisation resources for plate tectonics, including simulations, videos and
images.

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/geophysics/visualizations/PTMovements.html
Workbook answers
Answers to all activities in the student workbook.

Earthquakes and volcanoes
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms
Numeracy builder
Questions 5.1.2

Numeracy builder
Literacy
Numeracy
Questions 5.1.2

Literacy
Numeracy
Teaching strategies
Teaching tips
Students will have a lot of knowledge of earthquakes and/or volcanoes from primary school. A useful
strategy is to first tap into what students already know and discuss any misconceptions. They will also
have lots of questions.
A brainstorm using butcher paper or as a class on the board would be a good start. A short video of a
recent eruption or of a recent earthquake is sure to generate discussion. Some words to focus students
thoughts may be: cause, nature (what is it), effects and examples.
Google Maps is a great place to explore volcanoes and earthquakes. You can zoom around the globe by
entering the names of famous volcanoes and see what they look like. You can also follow faults and plate
boundaries to see the effect they have on the landscape.
Differentiation
The mechanisms behind the different types of volcanoes and earthquakes may require some scaffolding
for learners at each end of the spectrum.
For students with lower abilities:
The use of models to simulate and demonstrate how earthquakes are produced would be useful.
Even something as simple as pressing your hands together and then trying to move them against
each other along the length of your hands demonstrates the building of pressure at a transform
boundary. Eventually, if you push hard enough, your hands will move against each other with a jolt.
The formation of volcanoes above hot spots and on one side of subduction zones can prove
challenging. Models or animations can easily clarify what is happening in these locations. The heat
generated when you rub your hands together illustrates the friction that would cause melting at a
subduction zone. This, followed by a demonstration of convection, would show how hot rock rises
to the surface and erupts.
For students with higher abilities:
The same activities as above would be useful. Higher-ability students should be challenged to
design, construct or explain models and animations. A comparison of the processes acting in
different situations would be possible. Students could also be asked to investigate the factors that
cause variations in these situations. These factors would have visible consequences in these
locations and they could then be explained.
Extra activities
Activity: Different explanations
The pursuit of scientific knowledge and explanation can often conflict with cultural beliefs and ways of
life. Students should consider whether the impact of science has benefited those cultures in Hawaii as it
has rationalised explanations of previously mystical observations. These cultural impacts could be
investigated closer to home, in New Zealand and Australia.
Activity: Earthquakes and volcanoes in Australia

There is an opportunity here to investigate earthquakes and volcanic activity in Australia in recent and
ancient history.
Answers
1 Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates that are sliding against each other become stuck against
each other. Pressure between the plates builds up until the rocks break. The stored energy is released
as vibrations within the Earth, which we know as an earthquake.
2 Magma is a liquid because it is hot. It is made of rock that is above its melting point and has
become a liquid.
3 A volcano is a vent or hole in the Earth, through which molten (melted) rock, ash and other
materials escape onto the surface.
4 The epicentre is the point on the surface of the Earth directly above the place where the earthquake
occurred. The place beneath the Earths surface where the earthquake occurred is called the focus.
5 A dormant volcano is a volcano that is not now erupting but has erupted since written records were
kept. An extinct volcano is a volcano that is not now erupting, has not erupted since written records
were kept and is not likely to erupt in the future.
6 The similarities between magma and lava are that they are hot rock that is liquid. The differences
are that magma is beneath the ground, whereas lava has been erupted and is above the ground.
Magma is also under a lot of pressure and contains a lot of dissolved gases. The pressure is released
when the magma is erupted and becomes lava. Much of the dissolved gas then escapes into the
atmosphere.
Numeracy builder answers

The numerical results below contain approximate values and answers may vary from these slightly.
Island Pair Distance Age difference Speed of Pacific Plate

(km) ( 100 000 years) (km/100 000 years)
KauaiOahu 178 21 8.5
OahuMolokai 116 12 9.5
MolokaiMaui 93 4.8 19

MauiHawaii 161 9.2 17.5
The further north-west the island, the older it is.
The largest island is the youngest, but there others are of similar size based on their area. The chain
of Hawaiian Islands forms as the Pacific Plate moves over a hot spot in the mantle. A volcano above
the hot spot creates an island and, once the plate moves significantly, a new island is made by
volcanoes in another location. Once the volcanoes on an island stop producing lava flows, the island
begins to erode. Therefore, the older islands of Hawaii are smaller due to erosion.
The Pacific Plate is moving to the north-west and has carried the older islands with it.
The Pacific Plate would move at roughly a constant rate over the time period shown. The factors
that would affect plate movement are: the horizontal force on the bottom of the plate from the
mantle material being moved by convection; the size of the downward pull due to gravity on the
end of the plate that is subducting under a continent at the edge of the pacific; the rate at which
earthquakes allow plate movement at the subduction zones; and the horizontal force exerted in the
direction of plate motion at the mid-ocean ridge by the formation of new ocean floor.
An advantage of using a hot spot island chain to calculate plate movement is that it is relatively easy
to measure from a map or satellite image of the area. A disadvantage is that the current centres of
the islands would not correspond exactly to the location of the hot spot at any one time. This means
that plate movement calculated using this method will only be approximate and as many
measurements as possible would be needed to gain an average value. These measurements would be
much more accurate if done using a GPS receiver over a long period of time to calculate a true
speed of plate movement.

5.1 Checkpoint
Teaching support for page 191
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms

Literacy
Numeracy
Answers
Checkpoint 5.1 answers
1
tectonic plate: large area that may include continent and sea floor
convection current: movement in liquids or gases caused by the rising of hot material
magma: hot liquid that comes from the mantle
continental drift: theory where the continents moved through the oceanic crust
plate tectonics: theory where large plates of the Earths crust gradually move
2 Pangaea was a very large continent that existed roughly 220 million years ago. Evidence supports
the hypothesis that Pangaea broke up to form Eurasia, North America, Africa, South America, India,
Antarctica and Australia.
3 Alfred Wegener used the following evidence to support his theory of continental drift:
the coastlines of many widely separated continents seemed to fit together like the pieces of a
jigsaw puzzle
the same kinds of fossils and rocks are found on continents that are now widely separated
matching landforms produced by glaciers are found on continents that are now widely
separated.
4 The gravitational force due to the Earth pulls on the ends of the oceanic plates where they slide
under continental plates at convergent boundaries (subduction zones). This helps pull the oceanic
plates away from the mid-ocean ridges. The force of gravity is also vital for the formation of
convection cells in the Earths mantle, which drive plate movement; it is responsible for the pull on
the cooler and more dense parts of the mantle that fall inwards towards the centre of the Earth. As
currents within the mantle rise and spread sideways, the convecting mantle exerts a force on the
ocean floor and it is pushed along, resulting in sea-floor spreading.
5 Students responses will vary but could include answers such as:
A major cause of earthquakes is the release of stress that builds up along plate boundaries.
A major cause of volcanic eruptions is the release of pressure from a rising plume of magma
at a hot spot like that under the Hawaiian Islands.
6 Students responses could include:
the Earths crust is made of eight main plates (or seven if the Indo-Australian Plate is cited as
a single plate)
these main plates are subdivided into more plates

these main plates are constantly moving
the speed of the main plates is 10160 mm/year (can compare with nail and hair growth)
seismic activity occurs primarily at boundaries
movement of plates explains the observable features of the continents
the primary driving forces are convection currents within magma and the force of gravity.
7 Students responses may vary but could include descriptions of echo-sounding equipment,
magnetometers, seismometers, inclinometers, GPS receivers, satellites for remote sensing and
seismographs.
8 Alfred Wegener is responsible for the theory of continental drift. He brought together evidence from
many sources that supported the idea that the continents were once joined into a supercontinent.
This indicated that the continents must move large distances or drift over long periods of time. Sea-
floor spreading was proposed by Harry Hess and plate tectonics is a theory that is a combination of
continental drift and sea-floor spreading.
9 The rise in the East Pacific is consistent with the idea that new sea floor is being created along this
mid-ocean ridge. The roughly straight line features radiating away from the mid-ocean ridge
suggest that there has been movement on both sides away from this region; this supports the idea
that the plates are moving apart and spreading the ocean floor.
10
a 10 m
b 1 km
c 100 km
11 There are opportunities for a major assessment piece here. It could be expanded to include a range
of general capabilities. Links could be made to literacy, numeracy, information and communication
technology (ICT) and intercultural understanding.
12 The Ring of Fire:
is under the Pacific Ocean
is the site of most of the Earths volcanoes
exists along the edges of some of the main tectonic plates
has more volcanic activity than anywhere else on Earth (up to 90% of the planets seismic
activity and 80% of the volcanic activity is in this area)
has plates being pushed under others as plates move towards each other

has surface crust pushing up as plates move together, causing mountains and volcanoes; as
plates separate, they allow trenches to form and molten rock to rise to the surface.
13 Student responses may vary according to the source material used but an example follows.
There are many plant and animal species that are closely related but exist on widely separated
continents like Australia and South America. The best explanation for this is that the continents
were once joined and these species evolved from a common ancestor. Once the supercontinent split,
the new continents moved and the environmental conditions shaped both the flora and fauna. Life
on those continents close to the equator has needed to be able to withstand the extremes of heat
typical of these regions and the life on continents away from the equator has developed to benefit
from less sunlight. The evolution of both plants and animals has occurred in isolation, and different
evolutionary paths have been followed. The similarities of these species and the likelihood of a
common ancestor is good evidence for the theory of continental drift.
Resources
Teacher obook
Checkpoint 5.1 Worksheet A
Students who score less than 12 in the Student Book Checkpoint should be directed to complete
Worksheet A, which is designed for extra support.
Checkpoint 5.1 Worksheet Answers

Answers for Checkpoint Worksheet A
Checkpoint 5.1 Worksheet B

Students who score between 12 and 25 in the Student Book Checkpoint should be directed to complete
Worksheet B, which is designed for consolidation.

Answers for Checkpoint Worksheet B
Checkpoint 5.1 Worksheet C

Students who score more than 25 in the Student Book Checkpoint should be directed to complete
Worksheet C, which is designed for extension.

Answers for Checkpoint Worksheet C

Transform boundaries
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms
Questions 5.2.1

Questions 5.2.1
Literacy
Teaching strategies
Now that students have had an overview of the theory of plate tectonics, its time to take a closer look.
Plate tectonics become visible to humans at plate boundaries. Three types of plate boundaries exist
between plates and what occurs at each of these is very different. Australia sits far from any of these plate
boundaries. Therefore, there is relatively little geological activity here. In other parts of the world it is
clear you are near a boundary from what you see around you or on a map.

Students often confuse the idea of density with mass or weight when they are asked to recall what it
means, long after they were introduced to it. An initial activity to reintroduce students to the concept of
density may be useful. This could include finding the density of different-sized objects that are made of
different materials. Ideally this would be a set of materials that are the same size but different densities
and/or the same mass but different sizes. Students could then explore the relative density of different parts
of the Earths crust using the Crust tab of the PhET applet, which can be found in the Teacher obook
resources.
Teaching tips
The regions of the Earth that lie along transform boundaries are generally unstable in terms of geological
activity. Whichever boundary we look at there is always some relative movement. These movements are
either moving together or apart or sliding. Time spent explaining the meaning of converging and
diverging will pay dividends when applying these terms to plate movement. In addition, the word
transform should be broken down and students informed that trans means across. This will help
remind students that a transform boundary must have an across or sliding movement.
Extra activities
Starter activity: Plates in motion
Organise students into small groups to formulate a theory about which type of plate movement would be
the most damaging. Try to limit resources initially and encourage the students to logically construct an
argument based on their knowledge to date of plate tectonics.
Starter activity: Modelling earthquakes

Earthquakes can be modelled by asking a student to stand next to a whiteboard looking along the board
and leaning forwards. As they do this the hand nearest the board should be placed flat against the board,
out in front of them to stop them falling forwards. Then ask the student to lean further and further forward
until they feel their hand start to slip. This slipping will happen suddenly and they will fall forward. As
this happens the static friction that has held them in place is not enough to maintain the balance and the
dynamic (or moving) friction allows a brief acceleration between the objects. This is because moving
friction is smaller than static. It is this process that can be so devastating at converging and transform
boundaries.
Answers
1 lateral or sliding movement
2 generally shallow earthquakes

3 There are many sub-oceanic faults but the most well known are New Zealands Alpine Fault and the
San Andreas Fault.
4 Due to the shallow location of the epicentre, these fault movements can be very violent. This is
evident from the many earthquakes in San Francisco (1906 in particular) and more recently in New
Zealand.
5 Inspecting a map of the plate boundaries clearly shows that most of the plate boundaries on Earth
are beneath the oceans. Therefore, most transform boundaries between oceanic plates. In general,
the major continents on Earth are separated by oceans. Oceanic crust is created at these mid-ocean
ridges and travels away from these ridges in both directions. When the oceanic crust approaches a
continental plate, it dives below the continental plate (subducts) and returns to the mantle. This
explains why most of the plate boundaries on Earth are beneath the oceans. The different sections of
the oceanic crust that are moving in different directions are where most of the transform boundaries
occur.
6 These fault zones exhibit primarily horizontal movement, as if one side of the boundary has been
struck horizontally parallel with the fault and therefore forced to slip along the other plate at the
boundary.
Resources
Student obook
Weblink: Plate tectonics applet
An interactive simulation that allows students to explore what occurs at different plate boundaries.
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/plate-tectonics

Converging boundaries
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms
Activity 5.2.1
Activity 5.2.2
Questions 5.2.2

Activity 5.2.1

Literacy
Deeper understanding
Literacy
Activity 5.2.2
Literacy
Work and enterprise
Questions 5.2.2
Literacy
Teaching strategies
Teaching tips
The concept of density is very important here if students are to really understand the differences in plate
convergence. The fact that a denser material has more mass for a given volume means that when it moves
towards a less dense material it will be more difficult to lift up, so it will burrow underneath. Oceanic
plates, in particular older ones, are much denser than continental plates. If the plates are equally matched
in terms of density, then neither will burrow under and so both will buckle.
Additional information: Earthquakes causing tsunamis

Japan has become a world leader in the design and manufacture of earthquake-proof large buildings,
using a range of technologies and purpose-designed building materials. One such technique is placing a
large water tank at the top of a tall building: if an earthquake shakes the building, this the water tank acts
as a damper, resisting the movement and essentially slowing and reducing the vibrations.
As the events in Japan in 2011 demonstrated, tsunamis can be devastating. Tsunamis are often imagined
as a single crest moving across the surface of the oceans, when in fact much of the energy being
transferred is below the surface and typically there are multiple wave fronts moving together. This energy
pulse can move up to 800 km/h; when moving through deep water, these fronts may only be 30 cm high
but they can rise up to 30 m when slowing as they arrive at land. This explains why sailors who have been

in the path of a tsunami have not noticed it pass by. Reports that these events sound like freight trains
passing gives an indication of the enormity of the energy being dissipated as they arrive. It is thought that
tsunamis have been caused by meteorites in the past; specifically, one is believed to have been caused 3.5
billion years ago that devastated all but the highest mountains.
Practical support
This is a simple visual activity that can be used to explore the depths and limitations of models. Students
could melt the lower half of the chocolate bar and refrigerate it to model transform boundary earthquakes;
in addition, bars of different densities could be used to model subduction. Discussion of findings should
explore the ways in which chocolate bars do not follow the patterns of the Earths plates, as well as how
they do.
Safety
Food should not be eaten in the laboratory. If students will be allowed to eat the chocolate bars after the
activity, then the activity should be performed outside the laboratory. Have clean paper plates to work on
and ensure students hands are washed prior to the activity.
A risk assessment should be completed before undertaking this Activity. A suggested risk assessment
template is provided in the teacher obook resources.
Deeper understanding support

This feature illustrates an example of a trench formed at a subduction zone. It is one of many of these
structures formed in the AsiaPacific region that are responsible for much of the violent volcanic and
seismic activity we hear of in the news. Students could be asked to research a natural disaster related to
plate tectonics in the AsiaPacific region and explain its occurrence using their knowledge and the plate
boundaries nearby.

Safety
Wear lab coats or aprons and safety goggles. The dye will stain clothing and vinegar will sting the eyes if
it gets in them.
Practical hints
Take the lemonade outside or open it over a sink. If it is shaken, it will fizz quite violently and may spurt
out.
Part 1 answers

Student answers will vary. Students should be reminded how to structure a flow chart and
collaborate to agree on an answer.
The bubbles are larger, more numerous and more of them rise to the surface when the pressure is
released from the bottle.
Bubbles of carbon dioxide form inside the lemonade and rise to the surface because the gas is less
dense than the liquid. At high pressure the gas will be forced to stay in the lemonade, but when the
pressure is reduced the gas can escape.
A release in pressure above a compressed material allows it to expand and escape. In the soft drink
this would be seen as bubbles of carbon dioxide forming, rising and popping on the surface of the
liquid. Within the Earth, the compressed molten rock erupts out of the ground. Magma with a high
proportion of trapped gases erupts even more violently as the gases expand and escape.
Part 2 answers
The process that has been modelled is the effect of escaping gases on erupting lava. It causes the
lava to move upwards and outwards more than it would otherwise. This makes the eruption more
violent. This model is incorrect in that it is a chemical reaction and not a physical change of state.
However, it does illustrate the effect of escaping gas, so it is useful. The model could be improved
by comparing two liquids under pressure being released from a syringe, one liquid containing gas
and the other containing no gas.
Answers
1 Subduction generally means to pull something down below something else. In geology it refers to
the process where the denser plate is pulled beneath a less dense plate at a convergent boundary.
2 It is the density of the plates that determines which plate subducts under the other. For example, the
more dense oceanic plate sinks below the less dense continental plate at an ocean-to-continent
convergent boundary.
3 Three main plate combinations and their associated landforms are:
oceanic + continental = oceanic subducts (mountains and oceanic trench formed)
continent + continent = plate crumpling (high mountains form)
oceanic + oceanic = older oceanic subducts (deep trench formed and undersea volcanoes).
4 Density is important at a convergent boundary because it determines the vertical movement of the
plates when they collide. If one plate is more dense than another, the more dense one will subduct
under the less dense one. If both plates are the same density, they will fold and buckle forming
mountains.

5 Volcanic islands or mountains are not always formed at convergent boundaries. Volcanoes occur at
thin or weak points in the Earths crust, above hot spots or above subduction zones. Where two
continental plates collide, a high mountain chain is formed as the crust buckles. The crust in this
location is much thicker, therefore there is no volcanic activity due to a weakness in the crust, a
subduction zone or a hot spot.
6 Earthquakes under the ocean cause the sea floor to move vertically, moving huge volumes of water
with it. The oceans surface either rises or drops very quickly and this movement travels away from
where this occurs as a tsunami.
7 One way volcanoes commonly cause tsunamis is that a volcanic eruption generates a large landslide
either into the ocean or on the ocean floor. This landslide causes the movement of a large volume of
water, which results in a tsunami.
8 Student responses will vary.
Extra activities
Activity: Natural disasters in Australia
This section puts the geological activity in Australia into perspective. Students could compare Australia
with other nations using statistics to see how safe it is from natural disasters like volcanoes and
earthquakes. Australia was not always as geologically inactive as it is today. A string of extinct volcanoes
exists down the east coast. What caused these volcanoes? What would the earthquakes associated with
these been like? What changed so that these eruptions do not occur anymore?
Figure 5.24 leaves many questions unanswered. There are areas in Australia that are definitely more
seismically active. Why? This would be a good point for discussion and making some predictions.
Resources
Student obook
Video link: Converging boundaries
This video shows how mountains were made on Earth by plate collisions.
http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/california/videos/mountain-building?
m=5189719baf036&s=All&f=1&free=false
Video link: Mariana Trench

This video shows how the deepest part of the ocean was made.
http://www.history.com/shows/how-the-earth-was-made/videos/deepest-place-on-earth?
m=5189719baf036&s=All&f=2&free=false
Video link: Earthquakes and Tsunamis

This video explains how the pent-up energy between tectonic plates can cause a tsunami when it is
eventually released.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-12739417
Weblink: Anatomy of a Tsunami

This website uses pop ups and video to show how a tsunami is caused and how it travels across the ocean.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/anatomy-tsunami.html
Weblink: Current earthquake activity in Australia

This website has an interactive map showing recent earthquakes in Australia and the surrounding region
in the last 7 days.
http://www.ga.gov.au/earthquakes/
Workbook Activity 5.4 Data analysis earthquakes

Teacher obook
A5.2.1 Chocolate plates RA
A risk assessment template for students and teachers for Activity 5.2.1
A5.2.2 Volcanic bubbles RA

Workbook answers

Student design task
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms
Student design task

Student design task
Literacy
Numeracy

Work and enterprise
Practical support
Student design task support
Practical hints
Students should measure the dry mass of their rock before they measure its volume.
Ensure displacement cans or vessels used to measure volume are an adequate size to fit rock samples.
Tongs could be provided so students can gently lower their rock into the vessel without splashing and
losing water.
Safety
A risk assessment should be completed before undertaking this Student Design Task. A suggested risk
assessment template is provided in the teacher obook resources.
Answers
Student design task answers
1 There will be natural variation in density between rock samples as well as variation between
students technique and accuracy.
2 Using a displacement can, carefully capturing all displaced water and using an appropriately sized
measuring cylinder could improve accuracy.
3 Published values of the density of basalt and granite can vary depending on the source. Generally,
the density of granite is between 2.6 and 7 g/cm3, whereas that of basalt is between 2.8 and 3 g/cm3.
4 Usually the thinner and more dense plate is overridden by the thicker, less dense plate. The more
dense plate is forced down into the mantle in a process known as subduction.
Resources
Teacher obook
Student Design Task Measuring the density or rocks RA
A risk assessment template for students and teachers for Student Design Task

Diverging boundaries
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms
Activity 5.2.3
Questions 5.2.3

Activity 5.2.3
Literacy
Work and enterprise

Questions 5.2.3
Literacy
Numeracy
Teaching strategies
Additional information: Divergent boundaries
Divergent boundaries are some of the most active on Earth, but most of them are hidden from our view at
the bottom of the ocean. There are many examples of rift valleys on continents, including the one that
shapes the landscape of Hobart in Tasmania, but the most impressive and active is the example in Africa.
Many of the smaller examples were formed as larger examples broke continents into pieces and carried
them apart.
It is often taught that gravity and convection are the two driving forces behind plate tectonics, but that is
not the whole story. The pressure from magma erupting and forming new oceanic crust at the mid-ocean
ridges also exerts a force on the diverging plates.
Teaching tips
It is common in education to make simplifications or generalisations. In saying that gravity and
convection are the two driving forces behind plate tectonics we are focusing on the most significant
causes. If we included every single minute detail in everything we taught it would be impractical. That
said, it is also important to make students aware that the reality of the physical world is very complex. To
introduce and illustrate this point, get students to propose other contributions to a phenomenon like plate
tectonics. It may frustrate them, and they may not get it right, but they need to experience taking a chance
and generating their own ideas.
When students do come up with their own ideas, the scientific method shows us how to decide whether it
is a good idea or not. Can it be tested? If so, does the evidence support the idea? The importance of
evidence in making a decision is the key. A flow chart illustrating the method can be useful when working
through an idea in this way.
Additional information: The impact of plate tectonics

Plate tectonics have a more profound impact than most people may think. When a very large earthquake
occurs it can actually affect the rotation of the Earth on its axis. The length of the day sometimes needs to
be corrected by a fraction of a second following a large shift in the Earths crust.
Practical support

The modelling of the divergent plates demonstrates how the regions between these plates are moving
apart. Limitations of this model are that the thicknesses of these model plates do not change and that
eventually there will be no plates left to separate. The model can work for the other plate boundary
interactions.
Practical hints
It does not matter which way the slit is put on the box.
Safety
Answers
1 The rising molten rock from below causes both the rising and thinning of the crust and also
convection currents to force the plates apart.
2 The major mid-ocean ridges are located through the centres of the Indian and Atlantic and Arctic
oceans.
3 north-eastern Africa
4 Rift valleys and mid-ocean ridges are typical of diverging plate boundaries.
5 Yes, Pangaea would have had diverging boundaries causing the continents to break up.
6 Ten million metres (10 000 km) is almost twice the width of the Atlantic Ocean. This means that
enough sea floor has been created over the past 200 million years at the mid-atlantic ridge to create
the Atlantic twice over. The sea floor created in excess of that required to make the Atlantic Ocean
would have been subducted into the mantle. It is likely that all the oceanic crust under the Atlantic
Ocean is much younger than 200 million years.
7 As the plates move apart, fracturing will occur and cause earthquakes. In addition, these cracks and
thinning cause weakness and so volcanoes can occur.
Resources
Student obook
Weblink: Sea floor spreading interactive
This website has information and an interactive about sea floor spreading reversals of the Earths
magnetic field.

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/interior/seafloor_spreading_interactive.html
Workbook Activity 5.3 Activity at plate boundaries

Teacher obook
A5.2.3 Modelling sea floor spreading RA
Workbook answers

5.2 Checkpoint
Syllabus links
Outcomes
movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms

Literacy
Answers
1
a movement of a denser plate underneath a less dense one
b regions at divergent plate boundaries where large pieces of crust have sunk

c plate boundary where plates move laterally and slide across one another
d region where plates are moving apart
e region where plates are moving towards each other
f deep region in an ocean caused when one plate subducts under another; it can exist close to
continents
g molten rock under the surface of the Earth
h region along a divergent boundary where the sea floor is raised by the formation of volcanoes
and the upward pressure from rising magma beneath.
i due to divergent plate movement caused by convection currents and the rising of magma
a divergent plate movement of Eurasian and North American (North Atlantic) and the African
and South American (South Atlantic) plates
b Pacific Plate subducting the Mariana Plate
c divergence of the Arabian and African plates (early stages)
d divergence within the African plate
e transform boundary between the Pacific and North American plates
3 A continental crust has a lower density than an oceanic crust. Therefore, if these two crust types
collide at a convergent boundary, the more dense oceanic crust dives below the continental crust.
4 New rock is formed as the mantle moves to the surface. This provides continually regenerated
rock as the older rock subducts at convergent boundaries.
5 The longest mountain ranges are the mid-ocean ridge systems. These are formed by magma
erupting along a divergent boundary on the ocean floor.
6 The highest mountain range is the Himalayas. They were formed when the Indo-Australian and
Eurasian plates converged and the continental crust was buckled and forced upwards.
7 Iceland is a very active volcanic region sited on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Many of the volcanoes in
Iceland lie along the same line as the mid-ocean ridge that stretches along the ocean floor on either
side of Iceland. Diverging plates are responsible for this activity.
8 Student responses will vary in their depth of information and accuracy depending on the source(s)
used, but should include the following information: the Gulf of California was formed by plate
tectonics up to 20 million years ago. The Pacific Plate moved north against the North American
Plate causing part of the coastline of North America to move away from the rest of the continent.

This separated Baja California from Mexico and formed the Gulf of California between them. This
was the beginning of the formation of a new ocean basin at a divergent margin.
9 Student answers will vary.
10 Some organisms found at these great depths rely on food that falls from the ocean above. There are
also whole ecosystems that exist in the deepest parts of the oceans around vents where hot water
escapes from the sea floor. The minerals in this water provide energy for bacteria and a whole
ecosystem is built on these bacteria.
11 There are many possible answers, such as glacial erosion, river erosion, coastline erosion and
weathering occurring over long periods of time. More rapid changes are evident in weather effects
(cyclones, drought etc.), global warming, flooding, landslides, subsidence and rising sea levels.
12 The Isthmus of Panama formed a land bridge that allowed the migration of animals between North
and South America. This migration was called the Great American Interchange. It led to the mixing
of the animals that had previously been separated. The effect was most significant on mammals
from the two continents.
Resources
Teacher obook






A future Earth
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
discuss technological developments that have extended the ability of scientists to collect
information about, and monitor events in, the natural world (additional content)
Activity 5.3.1
Literacy builder
Questions 5.3.1
Activity 5.3.1
Literacy
Literacy builder
Literacy
Questions 5.3.1
Literacy
Numeracy
Teaching strategies
This section explores the long-term future of the surface of the Earth. The apparently insignificant rate of
movement of the tectonic plates over time is explored and future locations predicted. This is a difficult
issue for students to embrace because these events are far from immediate. Importantly, it is the study of
these patterns that informs our understanding today and they act as predictors for future earthquake
regions. The plate movement mechanisms are further examined and links to the Suns energy supply
made. This can be linked to the discussion of global warming and the impact this will have on the
convection currents powering these plates.
Teaching tips
The use of new technologies to inform precise rates of plate movement is providing up-to-the-minute data
about plate activity and helps seismologists to assess regions of relatively low movement and to predict
where sudden transform boundary movements may occur.
There are many models of plate movement into the future; students should be encouraged to consider why
these models may not be accurate. For example, can we assume that movement rates will be maintained?
Students may like to explore how humans may adapt to a changing landscape and reflect on how we have
evolved to best fit the surface of the Earth as it presently is.
There is scope to link future career paths in science and technology to the findings and research being
performed in this area. Links to geology, seismology and the environmental sciences are clear, but

students may also consider how engineers can benefit from current research into rock formations and
plate movements. For example, there is much collaboration between civil, mechanical, electrical,
mathematical and structural engineers in the design and construction of buildings in earthquake regions.
These huge numbers and time spans are beyond comprehension. It can help to draw timelines to the scale
of events that have occurred (e.g. extinction of the dinosaurs) and future events that are predicted. The
constant shifting and fluidity of the solid rock crust that we live on is quite a conceptual leap.
Extra activities
Starter activity: Predicting the future
As an introduction to this section students could use the information in Figure 5.34 and numerical data
giving the rates of plate movement to predict what the world may look like at some time in the future. For
example, when will some of the countries of south-east Asia meet with Australia? What will form there?
Who will our neighbours be?
Practical support
Activity: 5.3.1 support
These questions give students a chance to apply and reflect on what they have learnt. It is also an
opportunity for assessment.
Answers
Literacy builder answers
1 that plate movements have been continuous and slow
2 subduction between plates
3 oceanic trenches, earthquakes and volcanoes
4 within the Pacific Basin
5 Analysis of heat loss from Earth is suggesting stopstart plate movement.
6 Rodinia pre-dates Pangaea by approximately 500 million years.

1 Los Angeles may move past San Francisco as it heads north.
2 By analysing the rocks and observing the fossils within them, they will be able to determine where
the rocks formed.
3 Student responses will vary.

4 Thirty days would represent 375 million years. Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old; on this
scale, this equates to 360 days (roughly a year).
5 As rift valleys form, the crust thins and becomes weaker, presenting a future diverging boundary.
Resources
Student obook
Weblink: The Earth in the future
This website has information and world maps showing what one scientist believes might happen in the
future.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast06oct_1/

Geological technology
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
outline examples where advances in science and emerging science and technologies significantly
affect peoples lives, including generating new career opportunities in areas such as astrophysics,
geophysics, space science and volcanology (additional content)
Questions 5.3.2

Questions 5.3.2
Literacy
Work and enterprise
Teaching strategies
Teaching tips
To bring this section of the topic to life, it would be ideal to see one or more of the devices discussed or
model the operation of one of them. A simple seismometer can be made using a hanging pen with weight
attached and placing paper beneath its tip. Shaking the paper from side to side simulates the ground
shaking in an earthquake. Making a trace of this shaking by moving the paper in one direction at the same
time as shaking it from side to side simulates the operation of a simple seismometer. Example
seismograms could then be studied and could lead to a discussion of the different waves produced by
earthquakes.
Most people would think that a geologist is someone who sits in a laboratory and plays with rocks. They
would also think that when a geologist is not in the laboratory, they are out collecting more rocks to bring
back to the laboratory. Although a knowledge of rocks and the collection of samples would be part of a
geologists job, there is much more to their work.
It is important to know that a geologist would not work in isolation and that no one technique or
technology would tell them all they need to know: they would have colleagues who specialise in
chemistry to analyse rocks; they would work with geophysicists who specialise in using technology to
extract data from deep within the Earth and determine the properties of the rocks. Other collaborators
would specialise in computer modelling to simulate geological processes and make predictions.
Scientists always collaborate with others. Each of the collaborators brings their particular expertise to the
research that is being conducted. They all play their part in conducting the research and then reporting the
findings in a publication. It is important for scientists to establish connections with others who can
collaborate with them. They must communicate with their colleagues and then communicate their
findings to the boarder scientific community.
Extra activities
Extension activity: Triangulating an epicentre
Many activities can be found online where students use data to triangulate the epicentre of an earthquake
from the seismograms recorded at three different seismic stations. See the Science Learning Hub weblink
in the Teacher obook resources for a good example. Scaffolding is required to assist with all the new
technical terms and techniques needed for this activity, but it does demonstrate the work of a
seismologist.
Answers
1
a A geologist studies the earth and its rocks.

b A seismologist specialises in studying earthquakes.
c A volcanologist specialises in studying volcanoes.
2 The effect of an earthquake can be best minimised by preparing in advance by knowing which areas
will be most affected and designing structures to withstand the movements in the Earth. The effect
of volcanic eruptions can be minimised through studying active volcanoes and evacuating people
when there are indications that an eruption will occur soon.
3 A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm whereas a disaster is an event that has
caused serious harm and/or damage.
4 Answers may vary. Technology now allows us to study natural hazards and, in some cases, gives us
advance warning. This allows us to make decisions on how to best prepare for these hazards and
allows us to evacuate in some cases when we know a disaster is about to occur.
5 The mining industry use seismic surveys to help them map the deposits they intend to mine under
the ground. Engineers would use seismic surveys in planning for the construction of large
underground tunnels or caverns. These industries use seismic surveys because it would be much
more expensive and time consuming to drill holes into the ground and gain the same information by
taking samples and physical measurements.
6 Steel contains iron, which is magnetic. This would affect the magnetic field in an area around it and
therefore distort any readings taken using a magnetometer.
7 Answers may vary. Good answers would use the data on previous disasters to justify a prediction.
The probable location would be justified by the proximity to plate boundaries and the number of
previous events. Essentially, some volcanic eruptions can be predicted reasonably well using
evidence gathered with technology. Earthquakes and tsunamis cannot be predicted except for their
likely location and their likelihood to occur within coming decades.
Resources
Student obook
Weblink: Natural hazards in Australia
This website has information and links to various hazards in Australia.
http://www.ga.gov.au/hazards.html
Workbook Activity 5.5 Geological technology

Teacher obook
Science Learning Hub Earthquake Location Activity

This extension activity involves students using data to triangulate the epicentre of an earthquake from the
seismograms recorded at three different seismic stations.
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/content/download/9809/180108/version/6/file/earthquake-location.doc
Workbook answers

5.3 Checkpoint
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
patterns in geological activity, including in the Asia-Pacific region
outline examples where advances in science and emerging science and technologies significantly
affect peoples lives, including generating new career opportunities in areas such as astrophysics,
geophysics, space science and volcanology (additional content)

Literacy

Work and enterprise
Answers
1 The higher density plate is forced beneath a less dense tectonic plate.
2 Crumpling of continental boundaries causes mountain ranges to form.
3 No. Subsequent plate movements, specifically divergence, will cause rifts and ultimately break up
of this supercontinent. The processes of plate tectonics will continue and other supercontinents will
arise in the distant future.
4 They are unlikely to be volcanic, because there will be a crumpling and pushing up between
continental plates.
5 This is due to divergent plate movement. As new crust is formed from volcanic rocks at the
divergent boundary, these will lie lower than the surrounding continents. This will lead to the
formation of a new sea between Africa and East Africa.
6 If a continent like Australia sits on a plate surrounded by oceanic crust, the continent will gradually
be moving towards a subduction zone. The plate the continent sits on is being created at a divergent
boundary and is moving away from this boundary. On the opposite side of the plate, the plate is
subducting below a continental plate. The subducting edge of the plate is pulled down by gravity
into the mantle. Convection drives the movement of magma in the mantle and this pushes the plate
away from the divergent boundary towards the subduction zone.
7 The magnetic field around a volcano before an eruption should change because the magnetism in
rocks is lost when they heat up. A magnetometer could be used to detect these changes in the
magnetic field around a volcano.
8 As rocks are forced apart, small earthquakes would be formed. A seismometer would be able to
detect this.
9 Scientists are able to accurately measure the current movement of a tectonic plate using GPS. This
can be done at any location on the plate. Direct measurements of the movement between two plates
would need to be made near a plate boundary. Because the plates deform to some degree near plate
boundaries, this would affect the accuracy of measurements near the boundary. To know the speed
of the entire plate, measurements would need to be made all over the plate and an average
calculated. This value could then be used to extrapolate into the future.

10 Mountain ranges will form where the continents meet, for example between Antarctica and
Australia, and between Africa, North America and Eurasia. There will also be more oceanic
trenches formed as oceanic plates move apart.
11 Student responses will vary. A range of technologies can be investigated, including GPS.
12 Australia has a very low level of geological activity because it is in the middle of the plate. This
means it is far from any of the plate boundaries, which are sites for most geological activity
associated with plate tectonics. New Zealand and Indonesia are located on or near convergent
boundaries. This means they experience earthquakes and volcanism associated with subduction
along these boundaries. India is located on a convergent boundary where two continents are
colliding. This has led to the formation of the Himalayan mountain chain as the two continents
buckle and are pushed upwards. It is clear that the type and amount of geological activity varies
greatly from location to location on a tectonic plate. It is the distance from a plate boundary and the
type of plate boundary that determines what geological activity will occur.
13 If Australia moves north and collides with Indonesia and Malaysia, a mountain chain will form
from the continental sections of the plates. Our climate will change due to a rise in temperature and
humidity as we approach the equator.
14 This task can be used as a mechanism both for revision and collaborative instruction.
15 It is important to be able to predict earthquakes so that lives can be saved. If advance warning could
be given, then appropriate steps could be taken to save lives and money.
16 Earthquakes are generated when the two sides of a fault cannot move past each other and pressure
builds. If many small earthquakes occur frequently, this allows the release of this pressure. If no
seismic activity was measured for a length of time, this is a sign that pressure is building. This will
be released in a larger seismic event that would be more dangerous to people in that area.
17 This task can serve as a mechanism both for revision and collaborative instruction.
Resources
Teacher obook






5 Chapter review
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:
new landforms

Literacy
Work and enterprise
Answers
Chapter 5 review answers
1 plate tectonics; Earth; mantle; convection currents; volcanoes; landmass; rift valleys.
2 Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed approximately 200 million years ago.
3 Tectonic plates are sections of the Earths crust that move on top of the mantle.
4 The theory of plate tectonics incorporates the theories of continental drift and sea-floor spreading.
Together, these theories provide a mechanism for the movement of the sections of the Earths crust
we call tectonic plates. The theory says that the plates have been moving in the past and, from
knowing their current movement, scientists can extrapolate backwards to predict their position and
movement in the past. The current thinking is that the continents were joined into a supercontinent
called Pangaea about 200300 million years ago. This is supported by the evidence that led
Wegener to propose the theory of continental drift. This evidence included similar fossils, rocks and
landforms on widely separated continents, indicating they were once joined.
5 Student responses may vary. The most appropriate responses would include the use of diagrams,
animations or, ideally, a physical model.
6 The Himalayas are made from continental crust. Therefore, it is unlikely that this crust was ever at
the bottom of an ocean. The edges of a continent are submerged and form the continental shelf. The
seashells are most likely to have come from sediment in relatively shallow waters at the edge of a
continent.
7 Hot rock in the mantle undergoes convection. This is caused by regions of the mantle that are hotter
than others rising because they are less dense. Cooler, denser parts of the mantle flow in to replace
this rising material and a cyclic flow of material is set up. Where this rising material encounters the
underside of the crust, it is forced to flow to the sides. This sideways movement exerts a force on
the crust, pushing it horizontally away from the mid-ocean ridges. Where the oceanic crust subducts
under continental crust, gravity pulls down on the end of the plate as it subducts.
8 Density and gravity are important at a convergent boundary between a continental and an oceanic
plate (a subduction zone). The higher density of the oceanic plate means that it will dive below the
lower density continental plate at the convergent boundary, forming a subduction zone. This is due
to the fact that the lower density continental plate is more buoyant on the underlying mantle.

9 The contribution of Alfred Wegener to the theory of plate tectonics was very significant. He
proposed that continents drifted over time across the face of the Earth. This was the first step
towards building the theory of plate tectonics. Over time, others built on this idea using new
evidence and proposing mechanisms for how it could happen.
10 A subduction zone occurs at a convergent boundary between a continental and oceanic plate where
the oceanic plate dives below the continental plate.
11 The Hawaiian Islands are formed by volcanoes above a hot spot in the Earths mantle. As the plate
above this hot spot moves, new volcanoes are formed and older ones become dormant. As time
passes, a chain of islands is formed by this process. Therefore, the number of the Hawaiian Islands
increases over time and the area they cover also increases.
12 Earthquakes can occur where the plates become stuck against one another and are not sliding freely
past each other. The pressure builds as the plates continue to move until the pressure is released in a
sudden shift of the plates. This causes a sudden release of energy in the form of mechanical waves
that shake the earth. This is known as an earthquake.
13
Plate boundary name Direction of plate Typical landform Example

movement feature at this
boundary
Transform boundary Parallel to the boundary Fault line San Andreas Fault
Ocean-to-continent Towards each other Ocean trench, mountain Along the west coast of
collision range, volcanoes South America
Continent-to-continent Towards each other High mountain range Himalayas
collision
Ocean-to- ocean collision Towards each other Ocean trench, undersea Mariana Islands
volcanoes, island arc
Continental diverging Away from each other Rift valley, volcanoes East African rift
boundary valley
Oceanic diverging Away from each other Mid-ocean ridge, Mid Pacific Rise
boundary volcanoes, black smokers
14 This is a converging boundary (an ocean-to-continent collision).
15 Scientists use echo-sounding, a type of sonar, to measure the shape of the ocean floor. Sound waves
are bounced off the ocean floor and the time the sound wave takes to return is used to calculate the
depth of the water.
16 Magnetometers can be placed around fault lines to measure changes in the magnetism within the
rocks. As stress builds up, the magnetism of the rocks changes and therefore the change in stress
can be measured.
17 Students answers will vary. Examples include: echo-sounders have allowed scientists to map the
ocean floor and contributed to the development of the theory of sea-floor spreading; and GPS has
allowed scientists to accurately measure the movement of tectonic plates and increased our
understanding of plate tectonics.

Resources
Student obook
Workbook Activity 5.6 Review: Plate tectonics
Flashcard glossary
A review of the key terms used in Chapter 5.
Teacher obook
Workbook answers

5 Making Connections
Syllabus links
Outcomes

movement (ACSSU180)
Students:

Literacy
Work and enterprise
Teaching strategies
Teaching tips

This section of the text lends itself to looking at case studies of famous eruptions. There is lots of
information on the Internet about the effects of eruptions on a global scale. Eruptions have been linked to
triggering ice ages through climate change. Explosive eruptions have been linked to huge tsunamis caused
by landslides, where a large portion of a volcanic island is thrown into the ocean. These are thought to
have devastated large coastal regions and are even written into the mythology of ancient civilisations.
Looking to the future, there is concern about a mega eruption and its impact on the human population. It
is possible it would send us to the brink of extinction through starvation. Locations like Yellowstone
National Park in North America offer the potential for such an eruption in the future, the effects of which
would kill millions of people.
There is sure to be a context that will interest learners of any background. From the connection to ancient
mythology to the future threat of global disaster, there is plenty of scope for student choice.
Additional information
The satellites used to produce the images travel at enormous speeds and are held in orbit by the Earths
gravity. Many of these satellites used for communication are located above the equator and travel around
the Earth in 24 hours. If you look at a television satellite dish, it will always point towards a satellite over
the equator (i.e. north).
Extra activities
Extension activities
Suggested whole-chapter activities include:
1 Produce a timeline of the key geological periods and significant events that have led to the
topography of the Earth today.
2 Research the potential impact human behaviour may have on the future of Earth.
3 Look at the use of land in San Francisco along the San Andreas Fault line and explain why some
decisions have been made. For example, why are there schools and hospitals in suburbs that have
been devastated by earthquakes relatively recently?
4 Explore how physics as a science has informed engineering advances in building design in
earthquake regions.
5 Present the beneficial outcomes of the destructive forces involved in volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes; for example, reduction of flights and so reduction of emissions, increased fertility of
land.
6 Have any theories been superseded by current ideas about continental drift and magma movement?
Answers
Making connections answers
1 Over time, seismic activity had been increasing. Magma had been flowing under the crust and
building up under the volcano. Eventually, the pressure became too high and the volcano erupted.
2 The Puyehue volcano is small compared with other active volcanoes.
3 Locally, ash and water pollution may have been an issue. Globally, flight interruptions were
significant.
4 Students own responses.
5 Extra pollution due to the ash can have one of two effects. It can reflect more of the Suns energy
away from Earth or it can act as an insulator, slowing down the rate of cooling of the Earth.
6 The Nazca Plate is subducting under the South America Plate.
7 A cinder cone is a steep conical hill of tephra (volcanic debris) that accumulates around and
downwind from a volcanic vent. A lava dome is a roughly circular mound resulting from the slow
eruption of lava that does not flow easily. A caldera is a large depression resulting from the collapse
of the centre of a volcano. A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by a
volcanic eruption.
8 The Valdivia earthquake was the worlds biggest earthquake at magnitude 9.5. It occurred off the
coast of Chile under the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake produced a powerful tsunami that travelled
across the Pacific Ocean and killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines. Two million people
in Chile were left homeless and some parts of the coastline subsided below sea level and flooded.
9 Students own responses.
Resources
Student obook
Video link: Chilean Volcano impact on the world
This video shows the impact on travel from Australia when the Chilean volcano erupted in 2011.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/flights-resume-after-ash-cloud-causes-major-delays-
20110613-1fzlw.html

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Chapter 5: Plate tectonics

Teaching support for pages 180181

Knowledge and Understanding

SC5-5WS Planning investigations

SC5-6WS Conducting investigations

SC5-7WS Processing and analysing data and information

SC5-8WS Problem solving

Learning across the curriculum

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Asia and Australias engagement with Asia

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Work and enterprise

Information and communication technology capability

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

For students with higher abilities:

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

(i) have the obook in their Oxford Digital library;

(ii) have linked to your Oxford Digital account; and

(iii) be added to a class you have created.

2 For a step-by-step guide on assigning assessment for students, click here:

3 For a step-by-step guide on using results in assess, click here:

Website: Geoscience Australia

Website: Geoscience Australia earthquakes

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Website: Geoscience Australia natural hazards

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Knowledge and Understanding

SC5-7WS Processing and analysing data and information

SC5-6WS Conducting investigations

SC5-7WS Processing and analysing data and information

SC5-8WS Problem solving

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Learning across the curriculum

Personal and social capability

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Work and enterprise

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Additional information: Palaeomagnetism

Starter activity: The internal structure of the Earth

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Activity: Development of scientific theories

Activity: Plate tectonic animations

many volcanoes are found on plate boundaries

significant eruptions causing death have occurred on plate boundaries

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Activity 5.1.2 support

Will the plates break up even more into smaller plates?

Have the plates ever combined into larger plates?

Why do different plates move at different speeds?

Experiment 5.1.1 support

Lab tech notes

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056

Weblink: Temperatures inside Earth

Video link: Alfred Wegeners theory of continental drift

Weblink: Plate boundary map

Weblink: Plate tectonics applet

Workbook Activity 5.1 Continental drift

Workbook Activity 5.2 Experiment modelling plate tectonics

Website: USGS Plate Tectonics Educational Resources

Educational visualisation resources for plate tectonics

Oxford Insight Science 9 teacher obook Oxford University Press 9780195527056