Plate tectonics
Describe what tectonic plates are.
Tectonic plates are large, rigid pieces of the Earth's crust and upper mantle that move across the Earth's surface.
Describe what magma is and how it becomes lava.
Magma is molten rock beneath the surface; when it erupts, it becomes lava.
Describe what a seismograph does.
A seismograph is a device that detects and records earthquake waves.
Describe the crust of the Earth.
The crust is the thin, solid, outermost layer of the Earth.
What movie features a snowman named Olaf?
Frozen
Describe the theory of plate tectonics.
The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth's lithosphere is divided into plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere and are moved by convection currents.
Describe the basic structure of a volcano.
A volcano is a landform made of erupted material with a vent, magma chamber, and crater.
Describe how the Richter scale works.
The Richter scale measures the magnitude (energy) of an earthquake on a logarithmic scale.
Describe the four main layers of the Earth.
The Earth's layers are the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.
Which movie series features a wizarding school called Hogwarts?
Harry Potter
Explain the three types of plate boundaries and what they cause.
Divergent boundaries move apart (forming new crust and mid ocean ridges), convergent boundaries collide (forming mountains, trenches and volcanoes), and transform boundaries slide past each other (causing earthquakes).
Explain how pressure and gases cause a volcanic eruption.
Pressure builds from gas and magma until it's too great, forcing magma up and causing an eruption.
Explain the difference between the focus and the epicenter of an earthquake.
The focus is the point underground where the earthquake starts; the epicenter is directly above it on the surface.
Explain the differences between the lithosphere and asthenosphere.
The lithosphere is the rigid, outermost layer (crust), while the asthenosphere is a softer, semi-fluid layer (mantle) below that allows tectonic plates to move.
What 1997 movie features a sinking ship, and a character named Jack?
Titanic
Explain what happens at a convergent plate boundary between two continental plates.
At convergent boundaries between two continental plates mountain ranges form. This is because the two plates are of equal density meaning that when they collide the plates are forced up to create mountains.
Explain why so many volcanoes form around the Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire is a zone around the Pacific Ocean with many volcanoes caused by subducting plates.
Explain the difference between P-waves and S-waves.
P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and travel through solids and liquids; S-waves are slower and only travel through solids.
Explain how the Earth's magnetic field is generated.
The Earth's magnetic field is generated by the movement of liquid iron and nickel in the outer core.
In which movie would you hear the phrase, “To infinity and beyond”?
Toy Story
Explain why mid-ocean ridges and magnetic striping are evidence of plate movement.
Mid-ocean ridges form where plates pull apart, allowing magma to rise and create new crust which aligns with the earths current magnetic field. This supports the idea that plates are diverging by showing a symmetrical pattern on the ocean floor.
Explain why composite volcanoes are more dangerous than shield volcanoes.
Composite volcanoes have explosive eruptions and steep sides, making them more destructive than the slow-flowing lava of shield volcanoes.
Explain how earthquakes can occur well below the depth of the crust
Earthquakes can occur below the crust due to subduction zones. The subducting plate remains solid and brittle, so when it breaks or shifts under stress deep underground, it causes deep-focus earthquakes that can happen hundreds of kilometers below the Earth’s surface.
Explain how seismic waves help scientists locate an earthquake’s focus point
Scientists measure the time difference between P-waves and S-waves at different seismograph stations. Using these times, they triangulate the location of the focus point
In The Incredibles, what is the name of the fashion designer who makes superhero suits?
Edna Mode