• Do volcanic island and seamount trails reflect plate motion?

• How do tectonic plates move over the Earth's surface?

• What are hotspots and how are they formed?

• How do we determine the absolute motion of plates?

• Are hotspots fixed in the mantle or do they move over geological time?

• What happens when two plates slide by each other?

• How do we measure plate motions on a sphere while maps are flat?

• What is the difference between continental and oceanic plates?

• What are the geological clues that there was once a supercontintent Pangea?

• Where do the oceanic plates go after they are made?

• How does plate tectonics explain the main morphological features of the seafloor?

• What happens when two continents crash into each other?

• How do we determine the relative motion of the plates?

Hyrdrothermal Systems

• What is a black smoker?

• How does a hydrothermal system support primitive life?

• How are hydrothermal vents formed?

Earth Magnetism

• What are the characteristics of the magnetic field in different places on Earth?

• How is magnetism used to explain plate tectonics?

• How often does the Earth's magnetic field reverse?

Oceanic Crust

• How are oceanic plates made and destroyed?

• How is the oceanic crust produced?

• How do we identify mid-ocean ridges?

Plate Motion

• How can you determine the rate of plate motion away from a spreading center?

Volcanoes

• What different types of volcanoes occur on Earth?

• What are the causes for volcanism at mid-ocean ridges?

• How do volcanoes form at subduction zones?

Geological Time

• How do we measure geological time?

• How do we know the age of the Earth?

Earthquakes

• What is the difference between the various types of seismic waves?

• How do seismologists determine the location of an earthquake?

• How does heat flow drive plate tectonics?

• What are the various types of Earth motions that can cause an earthquake?

• How does the depth and location of earthquakes reveal plate motion?

• How do seismologists describe the intensity or magnitude of an earthquake?

• How can the locations and types of earthquakes be used to explain plate tectonics?

• How do earthquakes help us to distinguish between different Earth layers?

Miscellaneous

• How to plan a seagoing expedition?

This list provides important Earth Sciences questions. Please click on the desired question to further explore the ERESE resource matrix.