Earth Structure
Student Activity Page

[Related Hot Links] [PDF File]

 

Object of the Activity

  • In this activity you will use Internet information and hard-boiled, soft-boiled and raw eggs to demonstrate knowledge of the Earth's structure.
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    Steps to Follow:

    1. Find and read the information located at the Hot Links listed below. Be sure you can relate the creation of the Aleutian Range explained on the video segment to the information you find at the hot links given below.

      Collect materials and instructions to complete your demonstration.

    2. Before you begin, assign roles to group members. Base these roles on the things you must do to complete the demonstration. Choose a team captain and a team secretary.

     

    1. The secretary must be able to take notes on group findings, as well as on ideas about what is discovered. Also, have one member illustrate your findings as you cut into the egg, labeled to match Earth's structure.


      Be careful of the equipment. The knife is for cutting the egg, not anything else!


      Compare your hard-boiled egg demonstration to soft-boiled and raw eggs. Be prepared to discuss in class:

      • What parts of the Earth's structure are represented by the shell, whites and yolk? What about the egg's membrane?
      • What happened to the "crusts" when they were moved into one another? How might this correspond to what happens occasionally along the San Andreas fault in California?
      • Does this demonstration seem to support or refute the theory of plate tectonics as scientists define it today? Explain.
      • Can you use the egg and some of its fragments to explain the tectonic event that resulted in the creation of the Aleutian Range visited on the field trip?

     

    Resources/Materials/Supplies

    Video Segment
    Internet access and printer
    Eraser
    Eyedropper
    1 hard-boiled egg
    Knife
    Pencil
    1 small bowl
    Small glass of water
    2 raw eggs
    2 soft-boiled eggs
    2 small bowls (for the soft-boiled eggs)
    4 baby food jars for the raw eggs

     

    Working Tips and Hints

    • Remember: Be very careful with the knife while completing the demonstration. Tap the egg lightly to break up its "crust." You'll need several large eggshell pieces.
    • Be sure you sign up for time working at a computer that has Internet access. If possible, divide the work among group members and use computers at home.
    • Follow these steps to complete your demonstration:
      1. Make sure you have the following equipment: eyedropper, small bowl with water, knife, hard-boiled egg, pencil.
      2. Use the knife to cut the egg in half. Examine the layers that are revealed. What parts of the Earth's structure do these layers represent: shell, white, yolk?
      3. Look for the membrane ó a very thin layer between the shell and hardened egg white. What part of the Earth's structure might correspond to the membrane? Explain.
      4. Lightly tap one half of the egg on the surface of your desk. The shell will break into fragments. Let these fragments represent the Earth's crustal plates.
      5. Lift two of the larger, connecting fragments slightly and use the eyedropper to add a drop of water underneath each one. Replace the fragments on the egg.
      6. Slide these two fragments or "plates" toward each other.
      • Do they slide smoothly? If not, where do they catch?
      • What would happen if you pushed the two layers against each other in an opposite but parallel motion?
      • What if you pushed them together in opposite but perpendicular motion?
      • How can you compare this to earthquake events such as those that happen occasionally along the San Andreas fault in San Francisco?
      • Work with your group to use your egg and several fragments to demonstrate the tectonic events that resulted in the creation of the Aleutian Range. Be prepared to explain and demonstrate this ancient event in class.