This collection of animations shows episodic tremor and slip (slow earthquakes) from a subducting plate with locked, slow slip, and no slip zones. The first two show wood blocks being pulled over sandpaper to simulate buildup and release of strain in locked and slow slip zones of a subducting tectonic plate, and to simulate episodic movement of a subducting tectonic plate. Graphs display time versus ... Full description.

This site features Flash animations that illustrate various facets of the rock cycle. The visualizations depict rock-forming processes, such as erosion, transportation, deposition, cementation, crystallization, subduction, and eruption, that create sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. They also show cooling environments that result in varied crystal sizes and demonstrate igneous rock classification. ... Full description.

This collection of animations, demonstration projects, paper models, and other teaching tools is designed to aid in the understanding of geologic processes. Topics include sea-floor spreading and subduction, earthquakes, seismology, magnetometers, volcanoes, and wave types. Links are provided to other sites containing paper models (i.e., volcano, trilobite, nautiloid) and other geology and natural ... Full description.

Step-by-step instructions walk users through working with data from a seismic wave model in a freely available GIS (geographic information system) program, ESRI's ArcVoyager SE. Users generate and examine maps and produce graphs to explore variations in seismic wave velocities at depths of 28 and 100 km below Earth's surface. By examining and analyzing GIS-ready data, users visualize density changes ... Full description.

This site contains information about discoveries made after World War II when ocean-going geologists adapted sensitive magnetometers developed for antisubmarine warfare for use in seafloor research. This modern technology gave geologists their greatest boost in more than a century of field work and led to the idea of sea floor spreading. This site has animations showing sea-floor spreading and a magnetometer ... Full description.

This site examines the variability of volcanic environments and the physical and chemical controls on eruption dynamics. Environments of volcanism are discussed in terms of plate tectonic theory and include spreading center, subduction zone, and interplate volcanism along with a detailed discussion of the Earth's structure and internal heat. Physical and chemical controls of eruption dynamics include ... Full description.

This article profiles the work of Elise Knittle, whose research specialty is mineral physics. The essay gives an overview of the core, mantle, and crust of the Earth, including what we know about their physical properties. It explains the work of the author, studying the chemical interactions between the metals that make up the Earth's core and the silicate minerals that compose the mantle. The obstacles ... Full description.

Tides, currents, shelf slope, and geologic history all influence how coastline features are broken down or built up. However, more than any other factors, wave energy and coastal rock type influence the erosional processes that shape rocky coastlines. This interactive feature provides an introduction to the landforms and features which are characteristic of rocky coastlines, high-energy environments ... Full description.

This site contains information about the general model geologists have developed to explain how most mountain ranges form. This model suggests that mountain building involves three stages, which are accumulation of sediments, an orogenic period of rock deformation and crustal uplift, and a period of crustal uplift caused by isostatic rebound and block-faulting. The later two stages of this model involve ... Full description.

This Thinkquest offers an encyclopedic look at plate tectonics and volcanoes. Reference sections describe the interior of the Earth, continental drift, sea floor spreading, subduction, volcano types and eruptions, lava flow, and famous volcanoes. Lesson plans cover the internal structure of Earth, plate tectonic theory, and how volcanic eruptions and earthquakes affect the human environment. There ... Full description.