Earth Science

(1) With the aid of neat, informative, well-labeled sketch(es) explain the following regarding mid-ocean ridges and the process of seafloor spreading: (One full page) How and where oceanic crust forms? How and why the age of the oceanic crust changes as you move away from the mid-ocean ridge? How and why the thickness of sediment on top of the oceanic crust varies as you move away from the midocean ridge? How and why the elevation of the seafloor changes as you move away from the mid-ocean ridge? ;

(2) With the aid of neat, informative, well-labeled sketch(es) explain the features that form as a result of an oceanic tectonic plate (lithospheric plate capped by oceanic crust) moving over a hotspot. ( ½ to ¾ of a page) Include the following: What is a mantle plume and how and where does it produce volcanic activity? The relationship between extinct and active volcanoes with respect to the hotspot. Include a concise explanation and map of the Hawaiian Islands (Hawaii through Kauai only) that indicates the relative ages (which are older/younger), the position of the present-day hotspot, and the relationship between plate motion and the ages of the volcanic islands. ;

(3) Explain briefly how the processes of slab pull and ridge push help drive plate motion. ( 1/3 to ¼ of a page)