Part 4: Put it all together
1. Create a quick reference to help you determine the type of plate boundary from velocity vectors.
Sketch and describe in the box what motion vectors look like near each plate boundary type
from the examples shown in the presentation or by exploring either the Velocity Viewer tool and
or Jules Verne Voyager Jr. (turn on modeled data, plate boundaries, and explore!),
On your own, return to the EarthScope Voyager Jr. tool.
2. Under the Add Velocities area, click on the radio button for model and then click Make
Changes. These vectors are modeled from many types of scientific measurements and
datasets to create a general vector for each region of a tectonic plate.
3. Draw the locations where the vectors are very different from each other on your map on Page 6,
(for example places where they are different lengths or directions). [Remember to click on the
map to zoom in to view the vectors better and use the zoom out button to zoom out.]
4. Collaborate with your teammate to answer the questions below.
A. How do the locations where you drew the vectors compare to the locations of earthquakes
and volcanoes you already had marked on your map?
B. Place an overhead transparency or other clear sheet of film over your map and draw with a
dry erase marker where you believe the plate boundaries are located. (Blue = convergent
boundaries, yellow = transform boundaries, & red = divergent boundaries). (Or use three
different colors and make a legend to describe the colors.)
C. Return to EarthScope Voyager, Jr. one more time. On the Features menu, hold the Ctrl key
down and select Tectonic Plates and Politicial, Lat/Long and click Make Changes.
Compare these boundaries to your drawing on the transparency.
D. How close do the boundaries in EarthScope Voyager Jr. match the boundaries that you
drew? What boundaries were you able to locate? Were there any boundaries that were
shown in the tool that you didn’t draw? What additional information would you have needed
for you to be able to draw the other boundaries accurately?
E. How would you characterize the width of the plate boundaries on your map? How do they
change? Based on your data, which plate boundaries should be shown as a line or a zone?
Why?