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| Detailed File Information (#1) |
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Description
This activity allows the students to calculate age estimates for the islands and seamounts of Samoa, assuming they were formed by the Pacific Plate traveling over a stationary hotspot. |
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Instructions
The students can either use the velocity they calculated for the Pacific Plate using the Hawaii data or a class average can be taken and then used so that the ages will all be the same. Divide the students into groups and assign them two seamounts or islands to calculate the age of. Then have the students write their results on a data table in the front of the class. This data set can later be compared to actual age information calculated from Samoan samples and the students can come to conclusions about the origin of the Samoan chain. It is important to note that this is not entirely correct to use the velocity calculated using Hawaii data for Samoa because Hawaii is located far to the north of Hawaii. Since the earth is spherical, latitude needs to be taken into account in determine angular rotations but for the scope of the class it was necessary to assume that the same velocity could be use. |
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Keywords
Volcano, Seamount, Samoa, Linear age progression, age |
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Copyright Owner
Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) |
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| Detailed File Information (#2) |
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Description
This lesson makes comparisons between Hawaii and Samoa in an attempt to determine the volcanic origin of Samoa. The goal of this lesson is for the students to formulate hypotheses based on evidence from Samoa and make predictions based on their hypotheses. Lesson duration: Approximately 20 minutes. |
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Keywords
Volcano, Seamount, Samoa, Linear age progression, Hawaii, Plate Velocity, Age |
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Copyright Owner
Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) |
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| Detailed File Information (#3) |
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Description
This table provides the calculated ages for the Samoan islands and seamounts using a Pacific Plate velocity of 7 cm/year. This table can be used as a guideline for the approximate ages the students will calculate since a different plate velocity may be used in the calculations. |
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Instructions
Use this table to compare the ages the students calculated based on the instructions and data presented in the Samoa Activity and Samoan Introductory lesson. |
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Keywords
Volcano, Seamount, Samoa, Linear age progression, Age, Pacfic Plate, Plate velocity |
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Copyright Owner
Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) |
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| Detailed File Information (#4) |
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Description
This is the instruction sheet for the Samoa Activity. This document provides the data and equations that will be used to calculate the age of the Samoan islands and seamounts based on their distance from the currently active Vailulu'u volcano (likely location of the Samoan mantle plume). |
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Instructions
Use this instructions sheet to calculate the age of the Samoan islands and seamounts after listening to the Samoa Introductory lesson. The ages calculated can be compared to the Samoan Calculated Age Table but remember if you used a plate velocity other than 7 cm/year you calculated ages will be slightly different than those in the table. |
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Keywords
Volcano, Seamount, Samoa, Linear age progression, Age |
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Copyright Owner
Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE) |
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