10

Science
Quarter 1-Module 5
Evidences of Plate Movement

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Quarter 1 – Module 5: Evidences of Plate Movement
Second Edition, Revised 2021

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 Module Evidences of Plate Movement
5

Introduction

With the advancement in sonar technology and global positioning

systems, scientists were able to map the ocean floor and with it came many
observations. These observations led to revive and modified the theory that
explains the movement of the earth’s lithospheric crusts and its underlying
layer.
In the previous module, you learn the different theories that explains
the movement of plates. To recall, this theories were Continental Drift,
Seafloor Spreading and Plate Tectonics. In this module, explains the different
evidences that supports plate movement.

What I Need to Know

Ordered from largest to smallest in area, the earth has seven continents
namely: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe,
and Australia. Variations with fewer continents may merge some of these, for
example some systems include Eurasia or America as single continents.
While it is uncertain why continental crust made its first appearance, the
leading theory links the emergence of continents to the onset of plate
tectonics. As Earth's land plates began to shift and move, less dense rock may
have been forced upward, shaping the continents we see today on Earth's
crust.
In this module, the learner should be able to:
1. Enumerate the lines of evidence that support plate movement.

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 What I Know

Multiple Choice: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the letter on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. If you are a cartographer, what will give you an idea that the continents
were once joined?
A. Ocean depth C. Position of the south pole
B. Shape of the continents D. Size of the Atlantic Ocean
2. As a new seafloor is formed at the mid-ocean ridge, the old seafloor
farthest from the ridge is destroyed. Which of the stated processes
describes how the oceanic crust plunges into the Earth and destroyed in
the mantle?
A. Construction C. Diversion
B. Convection D. Subduction
3. Which of the following diagrams best illustrates the convection occurring
in the mantle?

A. C.

B. D.

4. If the Atlantic Ocean is widening at a rate of 3 cm per year, how far (in
kilometers) will it spread in a million years?
A. 3 kms. B. 30 kms C. 300 kms. D. 3000 kms.
5. Which of the following can you infer from the continuous movement of
the lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere?
A. All the continents will cease to exist.
B. All the volcanoes in the Philippines will become inactive.
C. The continents will not be located in the same place as they are
now.
D. The islands of the Philippines will become scattered all over the
world.

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6. The lithospheric plates are believed to be moving slowly. What is the
driving force that facilitates this movement?
A. magnetic force at the poles
B. the force of the atmosphere
C. gravitational force of the moon
D. convection current in the mantle
7. The block diagram below represents the present ocean floor. The white
arrows show the movement of the ocean floor and the black arrows show
the movement of the asthenosphere. Which characteristic of the ocean-
floor bedrock is best described by the plus and minus
symbols in the diagram?
A. plus = older age, minus = younger age
B. plus = younger age, minus = older age
C. plus = reversed magnetic polarity, minus
= normal magnetic polarity
D. plus = normal magnetic polarity, minus
=reversed magnetic polarity
8. Why was Mesosaurus a significant piece of evidence that supports plate
movement?
A. They found it all over the world; it must have lived in the ocean.
B. The Mesosaurus was only found near the equator but was an
animal that lived in cold climates.
C. It was a freshwater reptile that was found across the ocean;
continents must have been together and drifted apart
D. It was a saltwater reptile that was found all over the ocean;
continents must have already in their current position.
9. What have scientists found out about how fossils are distributed in
support to plate movements?
A. Fossils never cross plate boundaries.
B. Fossils are always found on plate boundaries.
C. Fossils of animals are always restricted to the same continent.
D. Fossils of the same animals have been found on different
continents.
10. Which observation about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region provides the best
evidence of plate movement?
A. Several faults cut across the ridge and nearby seafloor.
B. The ridge is the location of irregular volcanic eruptions.
C. The seafloor of the ridge and nearby seafloor is igneous rock.
D. Seafloor rocks is younger near the ridge and older farther away.
11. The movement of tectonic plates is inferred by many scientists to be
driven by
A. Solidification in the lithosphere
B. Tidal motions in the hydrosphere
C. Density difference in the lithosphere
D. Convection current in the asthenosphere
12. The motion of the convection currents in the mantle beneath the
Atlantic Ocean appears to be mainly making the ocean basin _____.
A. deeper B. narrower C. shallower D. wider

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13. Which of the following is not evidence supporting tectonic plate
movement?
A. Ages of Rocks in the Seafloor
B. Fossil distributions across continents
C. The jigsaw puzzle-like fit of the continents
D. Ancient cave drawing found in the Philippines
14. From the mid-Atlantic ridge, what happens to the age of the rocks of the
seafloor?
A. continuously decrease from the ridge
B. continuously increase from the ridge
C. decreases from the mid-Atlantic ridge and increases away from the
ridge
D. increases from the mid-Atlantic ridge and decreases away from the
ridge
15. What is the name of the plant used by Wegener to support plate
movement?
A. Cynognathus C. Lystosaurus
B. Glossopteris D. Mesosaurus

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 What’s In

Word
Search

A. Instruction: Find the 14 hidden words found in the puzzle below. Write
your answer on your answer sheet.

What’s New

Activity 1
Tectonic Plate Puzzle
(Adapted)
Objectives:
After performing this activity, the learner should be able to:

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 1. Reconstruct the position of large islands and continents as they
appeared 220 million years ago.
2. describe how scientists use different kinds of evidence to prove that
plates are moving

Materials:
puzzle pieces glue pair of scissors

Precaution: Handle with care on the use of pointed object (pair of scissors)
Procedure:
1. Use the puzzle pieces found in Appendix A of your module
2. Cut out the puzzle pieces.
3. Try to fit the pieces together.
4. Use a tape to connect the pieces.

Guide Questions:
1. What features of the puzzle helped you to connect the pieces
perfectly?
2. How does the design of prints help you to confirm that you have
assembled the pattern?

What is It

Are you done with the activity? If yes, then you must already have an
idea of the lines of evidences scientists use to support the movement of
tectonic plates. In the previous lessons, the movement of plates may either
move into another, move apart, and move sideways in relation to each other.
They move at a rate of one or two (three to five centimeters) per year. What
are these evidences that support plate movement?

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 Evidence: Jigsaw Puzzle

It seems very
impossible that the seven
continents, which are
currently thousands of miles
away from each other were
actually connected pieces of a
supercontinent. The most
visible and fascinating
evidence that these
continents were once one is
their shapes. The edge of one
continent surprisingly
matches the edge of another:
Source: [Link]
Figure 1. Fit of the edges of Continents
South America and Africa fit
together; India, Antarctica,
and Australia match one another; Eurasia and North America complete the
whole continental puzzle in the north.

Evidence: Fossils
Fossils are preserved remains or
traces of organisms (plants and animals)
from the remote past. Fossilized leaves of
an extinct plant Glossopteris were found
in 250 million years old rocks. These
fossils were located in the continents of
Southern Africa, Australia, India, and
Antarctica, which are now separated from
each other by wide oceans. The large
seeds of this plant could not possibly
Source: [Link] travel a long journey by the wind or
Figure 2. Glossopteris Fossil survive a rough ride through ocean
waves.

Evidence: Distribution of Fossils

Mesosaurus (shown in Figure 3) and Lystosaurus are freshwater

reptiles. Fossils of these animals were discovered in different continents, such
as in South America and Africa. The two localities presently are 4,800 km
apart with an ocean in between them. It is impossible for these reptiles to
swim over the vast oceans and move from one continent to another. Fossils
were also found in Antarctica. Could it be possible that they existed in this

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region where temperature was very low? Or could it be possible that, long
before, Antarctica was not in its current position?

Source: [Link]
Figure 3. Distribution of Fossils across Different Continents

Evidence: Rocks of same age across the ocean

The rocks themselves also provide evidence that continents drifted

apart from each other. From the previous evidence, you have learned that
Africa fits South America. Rock formations in Africa line up with that in South
America as if it was a long mountain range.

How come these rock layers in different continents line up together with
layers that exactly matched?

The folded cape mountains of South America and Africa line up

perfectly as if they were once a long mountain range.

Source: [Link]
evidences-continental-drift/
Figure 4. Continuous Very Old Fold Mountain Chain

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 Evidence: Tillite Deposits

Tillites are sedimentary

rock made from glacier deposits.
The Gondwana system of
sediments from India is
recognized as having its
counterparts in 6 different
landmasses in the Southern
Hemisphere. Counterparts of
this series are found in
Madagascar, Africa, Antarctica,
Falkland Island, and Australia
not to mention India. At the base,
the system has thick tillite
[Link] signifying widespread and
6/3.+Tillite-+Deposits+made+by+[Link] sustained glaciation. Generally,
Figure 5. Tillite Deposits made by glaciation the similarity of the Gondwana
type sediments evidently shows
that these landmasses had exceptionally similar origins. The glacial tillite
gives clear evidence for paleoclimates and the drifting of continents.

Evidence: Placer Deposits

The presence of abundant placer deposits of gold along the Ghana coast
and the complete lack of its source rocks in the area is a phenomenal fact.
The gold-bearing veins are present in Brazil and it is evident that the gold
deposits of Ghana in Africa are obtained from the Brazil plateau from the time
when the two continents were beside each other. The widespread distribution
of Permo-Carboniferous glacial sediments in South America, Africa,
Madagascar, Arabia, India, Antarctica and Australia was one of the major
pieces of evidence for the theory of continental drift. The continuity of glaciers,
inferred from oriented glacial striations and deposits called tillites, suggested
the existence of the supercontinent of Gondwana, which became a central
element of the concept of continental drift.

What’s More

Quiz No. 1
Instruction: Place a check mark beside each
statement as evidence that supports plate movement.
Write your answer on your answer sheet.

_______ 1. Alfred Wegener named a giant landmass Pangaea.

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 _______ 2. There are seven continents.
_______ 3. Mesosaurus fossils are found in Africa and South America.

_______ 4. Placer deposits in Brazil matches with that of the Coast of

Ghana.
_______ 5. Mountain ranges on different continents seem to match.
_______ 6. Rocks along the edges of one continent match those along
the edge of another continent.
_______ 7. The continents are surrounded by water.
_______ 8. The coastlines of South America and Africa seem to fit
together like jigsaw-puzzle.
_______ 9. The folded cape of South America and Africa were perfectly
lined up.
______10. Glossopteris fossils were found in Africa only.

What’s New

This next activity explains how age of the seafloor used as an evidence
of plate movement.

Activity 2
Age of the Seafloor
(Adapted)
Objective
At the end of the activity, the learner should be able:
• Determine the age of the seafloor

Procedure
1. Examine the map of ages of seafloor in the Atlantic Ocean
2. Draw a line along the divergent boundary.

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 Guide Questions:
1. What is the age of the oldest rocks in the Atlantic Ocean?
2. Approximately how long ago did the Atlantic Ocean begin to form?

What is It

Having fun determining the age of seafloor? Another very important

evidence to support plate movement is the age of rocks in the seafloor. How
can a scientist determine the age of seafloor? What are the techniques used
by scientists to determine the seafloor age?

Evidence: Age of Seafloor

Scientists can determine the age of the seafloor by examining the

changing magnetic field of our planet. Every once in a while, the currents in
the liquid core, which create the Earth’s magnetic field, reverse themselves: it
is called a geomagnetic reversal. This has happened many times throughout
Earth's history.

When scientists studied the magnetic properties of the seafloor, they

discovered normal and reversed magnetic stripes with different widths. These
magnetic patterns are parallel to the mid-ocean ridges and symmetrical on
both sides. As rocks crystallise from lava at the ridges, they literally record
the magnetic field of the Earth at the time of their creation.

These stripes of normal and reverse magnetic fields with different sizes
can be matched with the geomagnetic reversals records obtained
from continental rocks already dated. New oceanic crust forms continuously
at the mid-ocean ridges. While it cools down, it records the magnetic field
during its formation. The two parts of the oceanic plate are pulled apart, and
magnetic stripes become older as they move away from the mid-ocean ridge

To confirm the ages obtained with magnetic records, and get an

absolute age of the seafloor, scientists use the radioactive dating technique.
When the lava solidifies at the ridges to form the new seafloor, radioactive
elements coming from the mantle are trapped in it. By measuring the amount
of remaining radioactive elements and daughter products in the seafloor,
scientists can determine when the magma crystallized, and thus know the
absolute age of the seafloor.

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 Evidence: Records of Magnetic Reversals

Magnetic rocks near the ridge follow a pattern aside from the fact that
rocks near the ridge are remarkably younger than those father from the ridge.
A magnetic compass tells us directions on Earth. It also proves that the Earth
has a magnetic field. The needle of a magnetic compass usually points to the
North Pole of the Earth which is actually the South Magnetic Pole at present.
Records of magnetic reversals line up like stripes in the rock. As the two plates
move away from a mid-ocean ridge, each plate carries a record of magnetic
reversals with it. The records are the same on either side of the ridge. As
scientists continued to map the ocean floor, they found more records of these
reversals. By dating the rock, scientists had further evidence of plate
movement. The youngest rock records the most recent reversal, which
happened only about 760,000 years ago. The oldest rock, farthest from the
mid-ocean ridge, records reversals that happened more than 150 million years
ago.

Magnetic reversals
happened many times in the
past. The occurrence of
magnetic reversals can be
explained through the
magnetic patterns in
magnetic rocks, especially
those found in the ocean
floor. When lava solidifies,
iron bearing minerals
crystallize. As these
crystallize, the minerals
behave like tiny compasses
and align with the Earth’s
magnetic field. So, when [Link]
magnetic reversal occurs, earth-systems-science-website
there is also a change in the Figure 6. Magnetic Polarity
polarity of the rocks. This
allowed scientists to visualize the magnetic stripes in the ocean floor similar
to Figure 6, and to construct a magnetic polarity time scale similar to Figure
7. Rocks that make up the ocean floor lie in a pattern of magnetized stripes,
which show a record of reversals of Earth’s magnetic field.

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 Seafloor lavas have
built-in magnetic “clocks”
that reveal their age. When
seafloor lava solidifies at the
seafloor, its magnetic
crystals are quenched in
alignment with Earth’s
magnetic field and the
rocks’ magnetic “polarity” is
preserved. But Earth’s
magnetic field has reversed
many times over the
planet’s history – with the
magnetic north sometimes
facing south, or vice versa, Source: [Link]
as it is today. Figure 7. Magnetic Time Scale

New seafloor is created at mid-ocean ridges (with the prevailing

magnetic signature) and spreads out in both directions, creating a
symmetrical “zebra-stripe” pattern of alternating rocks with either “reversed”
or “normal” polarity.

This is one way that scientists can calculate the relative age of Earth's
crust at divergent boundaries.

What’s More

Quiz No. 2

Instruction: Select the best answer. Write your answer on

your answer sheet.

A divergent boundary in the center of an ocean is shown below with arrows

showing the direction the crust is moving.

1. Where is the oldest crust found? A B C

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2. If each plate is moving at a rate of 2 cm per year, roughly how long did it
take for Rock C to reach its current location?
0 years 2 years 4 years 8 years
3. What is the age of the rocks at location B?
0 years old 2 years old 4 years old 8 years old
4. What is the age of the rocks at location C?
0 years old 2 years old 4 years old 8 years old
5. A map of the Atlantic Ocean is shown to the right. Where are the oldest
rocks in the Atlantic found?
D E F

Briefly explain your answer.

What’s New

You have learned that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into several
plates and these plates ride over a weak asthenosphere. Plates move away
from each other (divergent), towards each other (convergent) and sliding past
each other (transform).

What facilitates the movement of the plates? Heat is produced in the

core that produces convection in the mantle. This convection causes the plate
to move around. To further understand this process, try the following activity.

Activity 3
Convection Current
(Adapted)

Objectives:
At the end of the activity, the learners should be able to:
1. Realize the importance of the creation of convection current
underneath the earth.
2. Simulate convection current

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Materials
ice cube tray water food coloring
clear drinking glass or jar

Procedure:
1. Mix water and food coloring and pour the colored water into an
ice cube tray. This experiment works best if the water is a very
dark color.
2. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer until frozen solid.
3. Fill a clear glass with warm water.
4. Add one ice cube to the glass of water.
5. Observe what happens.
6. Record your observations.

Guide Questions
1. How does the food coloring behave inside the glass of water?
2. What do you call this behavior?
3. Enumerate factors that cause the formation of a current?

What is It

Did you enjoy performing the activity? The activity illustrates the
circulation patterns known as convection current. What is convection
current? How does convection current works? What is the effect of convection
current?

Convection Current

Convection currents within the mantle provide one potential driving

force for plate movement. The plastic movement of the mantle material
moves like the flow of mountain glaciers, carrying the lithospheric plates
along as the convection movement in the mantle moves the asthenosphere.

Slab pull, slab (trench) suction and ridge push may also contribute to
plate movement. Slab pull and slab suction mean that the mass of the
descending plate pulls the trailing lithospheric slab across the
asthenosphere and into the subduction zone.

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 Source: [Link]
Figure 8. Convection Current in the Mantle

Inside of the Earth, magma is heated near the core, rises toward the
crust, then cools and sinks back toward the core. It is thought that this
motion is responsible for the movement of the Earth's crust.

Heat in the mantle comes from the Earth's molten outer core, decay of
radioactive elements and, in the upper mantle, friction from descending
tectonic plates. The heat in the outer core results from residual energy from
the Earth's formative events and the energy generated by decaying
radioactive elements. This heat warms the base of the mantle to an estimated
7,230°F. At the mantle-crust boundary. the mantle's temperature is an
estimated 392°F.

The temperature difference between the upper and lower boundaries

of the mantle requires heat transfer to occur. While conduction seems the
more obvious method for heat transfer, convection also occurs in the mantle.
The warmer, less dense rock material near the core slowly moves upward.

Relatively cooler rock from higher in the mantle slowly sinks toward
the mantle. As the warmer material rises, it also cools, eventually pushed
aside by warmer rising material and sinking back toward the core.

Mantle material flows slowly, like thick asphalt or mountain glaciers.

While the mantle material remains solid, the heat and pressure allow
convection currents to move the mantle material.

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 What’s More

Quiz No. 3
Directions: Rewrite the descriptions below next to the
letter (A-D) that is describing the convection current in
the diagram at the corresponding letter chronologically.
Next complete the graphic organizer by describing the
cause and effects of convection.

Descriptions
The force of gravity is causing denser Density of mantle material is less than
material to fall. material above it, so the materials
began to rise.

Core heat causes temperature to rise, Rising materials hits rigid lithosphere
therefore decreasing the density of and cannot go up any further.
material.

CAUSE EFFECT RESULT

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 Activity 4
Navigation Apps

The following are navigation application icons used to show directions

and road maps. Can you name them?

Have you identified all of them? If yes, that’s great. Let’s identify them
one by one from left to right. We have waze, google maps, google earth,
lalamove and iOnroad. These are the most common navigation apps used in
the Philippines. It uses the Global Positioning System or GPS to show us our
exact position on Earth and direction of a particular location. Cool isn’t it?
What is GPS? What are its uses in determining the movement of plates?

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Geodesy, the science of measuring the

Earth's shape and positions on it, allows the
measurement of plate motion directly
using GPS, the Global Positioning System.
This network of satellites is more stable than
the Earth's surface, so when a whole continent
moves somewhere at a few centimeters per
year, GPS can tell. The longer this information
is recorded, the more accurate it becomes, and
in much of the world, the numbers are already Source:
quite precise. [Link]
[Link]
Scientists create large networks of GPS Figure 9. Global Positioning
System
receivers mostly near plate boundaries. If you
saw one of these receivers, you would probably not think much of it. They
generally have a small fence for protection and a solar panel to power them.
They are placed on bedrock if at all possible. They can also be wireless, so
they would also have a small antenna. The modern GPS receivers used by
scientists are almost real time, and movement can be seen in seconds back
at the lab.

Another thing GPS can show is tectonic movements within plates. One
assumption behind plate tectonics is that the lithosphere is rigid, and indeed

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that is still a sound and useful assumption. But parts of the plates are soft in
comparison, like the Tibetan Plateau and the western American mountain
belts. GPS data helps separate blocks that move independently, even if only
by a few millimeters per year. In the United States, the Sierra Nevada and
Baja California micro-plates have been distinguished this way. At the San
Andreas fault, the Pacific tectonic plate creeps in a northwesterly direction
along the North American plate. Because of GPS technology, we know the
creep rate at the San Andreas fault is approximately 28 to 34 millimeters,
or a little over 1 inch, per year,

What’s More

Quiz No. 4
Directions: Copy the graphic organizer on your answer
sheet and write five (5) important details about GPS inside
each box.

Uses satellites
and receivers

GPS

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 What I Have Learned

Activity 5
Making Generalization
Instruction: Complete the table below. In the first column, list down the
lines of evidence that support plate movement, on the second column, write
a short detail or description about the evidence and on the third column, give
example of each evidences. Number 1 is done for you.
Evidences Description Example
1. Jigsaw Puzzle The edges of one South America and
continent matches the Africa
edges of another
continent
2.
3.
4.
5.

What I Can Do

Activity 6
Being Prepared for an Earthquake
Plate movement causes threat to the lives of many Filipinos. The Philippines
is a country lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is no doubt that it will
experience earthquake. The real key to surviving an earthquake and reducing
your risk of injury lies in planning, preparing, and practicing what you and
your family will do if it happens. Design your own plan on earthquake
preparedness using the following format.
a. Practice Drills
What to do when earthquake strikes?
b. Evacuation Plans
Where to go when earthquake strikes?
c. Establish Priorities
What are the things you will bring when earthquake strikes?

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 d. Important information
List of important information such as persons to contact and their
contact numbers and addresses when earthquake strikes
e. Gather Emergency Supplies
What are the supplies needed to be ready when earthquake
strikes?
f. Important Documents
Identify important documents to be kept ready in case earthquake
occurs

Assessment

A. Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer. Write the letter on your
answer sheet.
1. What causes the magnetic flip or reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field?
A. change in the magnetic polarity of the rocks
B. change in the direction of flow in the outer core
C. change in the direction of flow in the inner core
D. change in the magnetic patterns in the magnetic rocks
2. What characteristics of the asthenosphere helps explain the evidence of
crustal-plate motion?
A. the magnetic properties
B. the semi liquid physical state
C. the ability to deflect solar winds
D. the ability to absorb heat energy
3. What do you call the sedimentary rocks from the glacier deposits used as
evidence to support plate movement?
A. Frostbite C. Tillites
B. Placer D. Trilobites
4. The diagram on the right side represents the movement of the mantle
under the earth’s crust. Which processes is represented in the diagram.
A. Conduction
B. Convection
C. Radiation
D. Rotation

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 For nos. 4-5, refer to the graph above.
5. What is the distance from the mid-Atlantic Ridge would rocks be found
that are 120 million years old?
A. 1500 kms C. 2500 kms
B. 2000 kms D. 3000 kms
6. What is the age of rocks from the mid-Atlantic Ridge at a distance of 3300
kms.?
A. 100 million of years C. 140 million of years
B. 120 million of years D. 160 million of years
7. Which of the pair continents matches the edges of one another?
A. South America – Asia C. South America – Africa
B. North America – Africa D. North America – South America
8. Which of the following is used by scientists to measure the rate of tectonic
plate movement?
A. GPS C. NASA
B. Map Scaling D. Space Shuttle
9. How does Mesosaurus fossil evidence support plate movement?
A. because it is unlikely that the Mesosaurus could swim between
continents
B. because it is unlikely that the Mesosaurus existed on both
continents
C. the Mesosaurus fossil evidence does not support the continental drift
theory.
D. The Mesosaurus lived millions of years ago, when scientists believe
the continents began to form
10. What evidence proved that South America, Africa, India and Australia
were once covered by glaciers?
A. cold climates
B. leftover portion of glaciers
C. enormous valleys formed by glaciers
D. glacial deposits and rock surfaces scarred by glaciers

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11. What is one way that scientists use to learn when magnetic reversals
have occurred in the past?
A. Reading records kept by scientists in the past
B. Measuring changes in the magnetic field of the Sun
C. Measuring the current locations of the magnetic poles
D. Examining samples of the crust taken from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge ‘.
12. GPS or Global Positioning System is used by scientists in many ways.
All of the following are the uses of GPS EXCEPT
A. capture Unidentified Flying Object
B. determine the direction of plate movement
C. study the speed of the plate tectonic movement
D. mapping and measuring the plate tectonic movement
13. Which of the following can you infer from the continuous movement of
the lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere?
A. All the continents will cease to exist.
B. All the volcanoes in the Philippines will become inactive.
C. The continents will not be located in the same place as they are now.
D. The islands of the Philippines will become scattered all over the
world
14. The cross section below depicts magnetized oceanic crust at a spreading
center. The “+” symbol indicates normal magnetic bands and the “-“
symbol indicates revered magnetic bands. How many reversals of the
Earth’s magnetic field are depicted in the diagram?
A. 3

B. 4

C. 6

D. 7

15. Which of the following is not evidence supporting tectonic plate

movement?
A. Ages of Rocks in the Seafloor
B. Fossil distributions across continents
C. The jigsaw puzzle-like fit of the continents
D. Ancient cave drawing found in the Philippines

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 Additional Activities

To further understand the process of plate movements do the

following activity.

1. Open the Plate Tectonics interactive simulation from PhET

([Link] at the
University of Colorado Boulder. (Note: You may need to install Java.) This
simulation allows you to investigate crustal structure and the effects of
motion along plate boundaries.
2. Open the search for the seafloor game from
[Link]
This game takes you to the seafloor and investigate events occurring by
taking some pictures.

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 APPENDIX A
PUZZLE PIECES

Page | 27
 Answer Key

Pretest
1. B 4. D 7. D 10. D 13. D
2. D 5. C 8. C 11. D 14. C
3. A 6. D 9. D 12. D 15. B

Word Search
Hess, Wegener, Pangaea, Continental Drift, Convergent, Divergent, Plate Tectonics, Oceanic
Ridge, Volcanic Island Arc, Rift Valley, Volcano, Seafloor Spreading, Transform Fault,
Trenches, Asthenosphere

Activity 1
1. Drawings and prints as well as the edges of the puzzle help us connect the pieces
perfectly
2. The lines of prints make sure that the puzzle pieces is fitted well. The design of the
drawings serve as clues in connecting the pieces of the puzzle. The completed drawings
confirm that the newspaper has been reassembled.

Quiz No. 1
Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9

Activity 2
1. The age of the oldest rocks is approximately 180 million years.
2. Approximately 10 million years ago.

Quiz No. 2
1. A 2. 4 years old 3. 2 years old 4. 8 years old 5. D Answer may vary

Activity 3

1. The food color rises and moves to the sides of the beaker then sinks. It demonstrates a
cyclic motion.
2. This is called convection current
3. ***The difference in density in the molecules is caused by the difference in
temperature.
***The rate of heating at the bottom and the rate of cooling at the top.
***Amount of heat supplied to the substance.

Quiz No. 3

A. Density of mantle material is less than material above it, so the materials began to rise.
B. Rising materials hits rigid lithosphere and cannot go up any further
C. The force of gravity is causing denser material to fall.
D. Core heat causes temperature to rise, therefore decreasing the density of material.

Cause: Convection currents are caused by Earth’s internal thermal energy causing mantle to
heat, expand and rise.

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Effect: The convection current act as a “conveyor belt” moving the plates of the lithosphere
above.

Result: The result of plates moving are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and building of
mountains.

Activity 4
Waze, Google Map, Google Earth, Lalamove, IonRoad

Quiz No. 3

Answers may vary

Activity 5
Evidences Description Example
1. Jigsaw Puzzle The edges of one continent matches South America and Africa
the edges of another continent
2. Fossils Fossils of million of years old were Glossopteris
located in the continents of
Southern Africa, Australia, India,
and Antarctica, which are now
separated from each other by wide
oceans
3. Distribution of Fossils Fossils of these animals were Mesosaurus and Lystosaurus
discovered in different continents,
such as in South America and
Africa. The two localities presently
are 4,800 km apart with an ocean
in between them. It is impossible
for these reptiles to swim over the
vast oceans and move from one
continent to another
4. Rocks of same age across the Age of the rocks of two continents Folded cape mountains of Africa
ocean separated by wide ocean have the and South America
same age
5. Tillite Deposits Sedimentary rocks from the glacial Madagascar, Africa, Antarctica,
deposits The glacial tillite gives Falkland Island, and Australia not
clear evidence for paleoclimates and to mention India
the drifting of continents.
6. Placer Deposits presence of abundant placer Gold Deposits in Brazil of South
deposits of gold and complete lack America and Ghana of Africa
of its source rocks
7. Age of the Seafloor Age of the rocks of the seafloor near Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge
and away from the mid-ocean ridge
is increasing
8. Records of Magnetic Reversals Magnetic pattern in the magnetic Mid-Atlantic Ocean Seafloor
rocks of the seafloor showing
alternating rocks with either
“reversed” or “normal” polarity.
9. Convection Current The plastic movement of the mantle
material moves like the flow of Asthenosphere areas of where
mountain glaciers, carrying the seafloor spreading occurs
lithospheric plates along as the
convection movement in the mantle
moves the asthenosphere.
10. GPS show tectonic plate movement Sierra Nevada and Baja California
within plates micro-plates
GPS data helps separate blocks
that move independently, even if
only by a few millimeters per year

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References and Links

Printed Materials:
Borrero, Francisco et al. (2008). Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the
Universe. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Department of Education, Bureau of Secondary Education. Project EASE Integrated

Science 1, Module 12: Inside the Solid Earth

Department of Education, Bureau of Secondary Education (2013). Science – Grade

8 Learner’s Module. Vibal Publishing House, Inc.

Feather Jr.,Ralph et al. (2002). Glencoe Earth Science. The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc.

Maton, Anthea et al. (1999). Exploring Earth Science. Prentice Hall.

Tarbuck, E.J. et al. (2009). Earth Science 12th ed. Pearson Education South Asia
Pte Ltd.

Electronic Sources:
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[Link]
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[Link]
20Pages/Bugielski/[Link] accessed February 28, 2014

[Link]
Waves%[Link] accessed March 1, 2014

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[Link]
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[Link]
accessed March 7, 2014

[Link]

[Link]
[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

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[Link]
html
[Link]
drift

[Link]

[Link]
about-to-flip

[Link]
pter4-%20Teacher%[Link]

[Link]
0#:~:text=Scientists%20can%20determine%20the%20age,many%20times%2
0throughout%20Earth%27s%20history.

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]
[Link]

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