Purpose of this activity is to show students what happens when two plates collide. When two plates run into one another or collide, they usually push up a mountain range. The line where the two plates meet is called the fault line. The plate on top piles up into mountains and the plate on the bottom is pushed down into the mantle where it is melted into new rock.
Material
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· 4-6 cloth towels
Procedure: Stack several cloth towels flat on top of one another, matching the edges along one side. Different colored towels make it easier to see the layers. Place one hand at each end of the towel. Slowly push the ends toward one another. What happened? Have the students record their observation. Restack the towel in a flat pile. Repeat the
experiment, but this time; do not press the towels directly toward one another, but at an angle, pushing one slightly toward and the other slightly back.
What just happened? Students should record their observation.