Short Answer Questions (questions are equally weighted)
The Lithospheric Plates: Plate tectonics – the notion that gigantic lithospheric plates move, separate or collide, grow or disappear – has been hailed as a major revolution in the earth sciences. The world maps below show the current configuration of major and minor lithospheric plates.
The lithospheric plates shown in the above figures are:
Great Plates
Lesser Plates
Pacific
American (North, South)
Eurasian
Persian subplate
African
Somalian subplate
Austal-Indian
Antarctic    Nazca
Cocos
Philippine
Caribbean
Arabian
Juan de Fuca
Caroline
Bismark
Scotia
The purpose of this lab assignment is to better acquaint us with this extraordinary new understanding of the Earth’s dynamic crust. As geographers are always looking for patterns and relationships, we will take a geographical survey of the lithospheric plates.
Using the maps above, identify the greater or lesser plate(s) listed in the above table that satisfies each of the following descriptions.
It consists almost entirely of oceanic lithosphere. Its eastern boundary is largely a spreading boundary; its western boundary is largely a converging boundary.