In this activity, students will differentiate between requirements for life in extreme environments such as hydrothermal vents and other environments and will use soft candy as a model to create a visual image of chemicals involved in autotrophic nutrition. As they review the biochemistry of hydrothermal vents, they will discover what chemicals are used by autotrophs in extreme environments in the ... Full description.

In this lesson students will discover how the proximity of hot magma to cold ocean water creates new rocky structures around hydrothermal vents. During this activity, students will demonstrate an understanding of how the processes that result in the formation of hydrothermal vents create new ocean floor and how the transfer of energy effects solids and liquids. This hands-on activity uses online data ... Full description.

In this lesson students will access a link to another site to learn about the processes that drive geysers, which are roughly analogous to hydrothermal vents. They will then examine photographs of some hydrothermal vents, discuss the reasons they occur, and learn about some uniquely adapted animals that live near the vents. They will conclude by creating aquarium exhibits showcasing some of these ... Full description.

In this lesson, students will investigate hydrothermal vents to see how the chemistry of the water they emit provides clues to the location of the vents. They should be able to describe hydrothermal vents and characterize vent plumes in terms of physical and chemical properties; describe data gathering operations in which a towed instrument package ("tow-yo") measures conductivity, temperature, and ... Full description.

This article discusses how hydrothermal vents are formed and why scientists monitor minute temperature changes around them. It details the writer's personal account of preparing temperature probes to be deployed for a year-long study, an explanation of deep sea vents and their hydrothermal nature, and why they seem to spew black smoke. The thermometers prepared by the writer help monitor the currents ... Full description.

This activity will offer an opportunity for students to search the Web to find information about the chemistry of hydrothermal vents. Students will be able to define hydrothermal vents and explain the overall processes that lead to their formation and explain the origin of mineral-rich fluids associated with hydrothermal vents. In addition, students will be able to explain how black smokers and white ... Full description.

Research program investigating impacts of submarine volcanoes and hydrothermal venting on the global ocean. Research focuses on acoustic monitoring of earthquake and volcano activity, vent chemistry, and vent fluid transport. Research sites located in northeastern Pacific, western Pacific, eastern Pacific and northern Atlantic and include Mariana Arc, Axial Volcano, Gorda Ridge, and East Pacific Rise. ... Full description.

This classroom activity will give students an appreciation for the difficulties deep sea researchers must face in order to find hydrothermal vents. Working in small groups, students can complete this Web investigation in a single class period. The printable six-page handout includes a series of inquiry-based questions that prompt students to use what they already know about mid-ocean ridges to hypothesize ... Full description.

This site is a virtual dive off of the Pacific coast to explore hydrothermal ocean vents. It is hosted by the ThinkQuest Library of Entries, a collection of educational websites designed by participants in the ThinkQuest contests. This resource discusses where the vents are, what they are, how they formed, and why they are important. The fauna, geology, and significance of these 'black smokers' is ... Full description.

This page offers a list of links to eight websites that relate to deep sea vents. A short description follows each link, listing the reference materials, interactive tools, videos, sound recordings, photo archives, or other resources that can be found there. The sites cover the topics of underwater acoustics, sea surface temperatures, global ocean circulation, volcanoes and pillow lava, and the geology ... Full description.