Lab Exercise 17

Physical Geology Helpful Lab Hints

Exercise 17: Plate Tectonics

Problem 3

a. Plot the data as indicated on the annotated graph below.
- annotated graph from p. 337
- "Best fit" means a straight line that comes as close as possible to all of the points on that segment. In this case, the segments are given as Kiluea to Laysan and Laysan to Suiko
- Do the lines have the same slope? Is one steeper? On this graph, the steeper the line, the __________ the rate of plate motion. (faster or slower? select one)

b. Rate = distance/time. The annotated chart indicates which numbers to use.
- annotated chart from p. 337
- 10 km/million years = 1 cm/yr (divide km/Myr by 10 to get cm/yr)
c. How did the chain form? Refer to the textbook Chapters 3 & 4 (discussion of "hot spots").
- If the islands are a record of the plate moving over a "hot spot" how did the chain get a bend? What happend to the direction the plate was moving?
- When did this happen? Hint: Refer to the annotated chart above.