Use the website link below, and Internet research to complete this assignment. Explore the United States Geological Survey (USGS) “Dynamic Earth” website: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html.
Based on your interpretation of the maps and diagrams in the USGS “Dynamic Earth” website answer the following questions in “essay style”.
Where are the major concentrations of the world’s earthquakes? What is the main type of plate boundary there? Are earthquake and volcano locations related to the Pacific “Ring of Fire”? Give some specific geologic locations around the ring. What major submarine geologic feature is located near most of the Pacific ring?
Explain how earthquake and volcano locations help support the theory of plate tectonics.
What are the geologic differences between continental plates and oceanic plates? Which plate type is associated with mainly extrusive igneous rocks, and which is associated with mainly intrusive igneous rocks? What is the major igneous rock type forming the deep-ocean basins and what is the major igneous rock type forming the base of all the continents? Describe each rock type and how they differ. How is this difference related to the depths of the oceans and the higher elevations of the continents? Make sure that you use specific plates as examples of each. How are the crustal plates related to the asthenosphere? What is isostacy? Explain.