How old is the Atlantic Ocean

Question 1 –

1. 
   On your map find the distance in cm between point 1 on South
   America and point 1 on Africa. Estimate the distance within ½ of a cm. Do the same for the Point 2 and point 3 and record your answer below.
   

Point 2 - __________ cm

Point 3 - __________ cm

2. 
   Calculate the average distance between South America and Africa below.
   
3. 
   Add the distance in cm of point 1 + point 2 + point 3. Distance is ____________ cm
   
4. 
   To find the average divide the total distance of point 1, 2, and 3 by ____________. Show all work below.
   

5. 
   The average distance is ____________ cm.
   

6. 
   Using the map’s legend 1cm = 1,000 km convert the average distance in cm to km by multiplying 1,000 X by your average distance in cm. Show all work below.
   

The average distance in km between South America and Africa is _________________ km

Question 3 –

7. 
   To calculate the average age of the Atlantic Ocean you must: Since the average rate that South America and Africa are moving away from each other is 2.5 cm per year you must first change the average distance in km between South America and Africa to cm. To change km to centimeters multiple the average distance in km between South America and Africa by 100,000 because there are 100,000 cm in 1 km. Show the work below:
   

8. 
   Since the average rate that South America and Africa are moving away from each other is 2.5 cm per year to calculate how old the Atlantic Ocean is you must divide 2.5 years into the average distance in cm between South America and Africa. (Average distance in cm between South America and Africa ÷ 2.5 cm per year) Show all work below.
   

Questions:

1. 
   How does the age you calculated compare to the breakup of Pangaea (which represents the beginning of the formation of the Atlantic Ocean) 200 million (200,000,000) year ago? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
   
2. 
   Determine the percentage of error between the actual average age of the Atlantic Ocean and the age of Atlantic Ocean you obtained in the lab.
   

1. 
   Step one.
   

If your results are larger than the actual average age of the Atlantic Ocean given then subtract your age you obtained in question number 5 which is your results for the average age of the Atlantic Ocean from the actual average age of the Atlantic Ocean (200,000,000 yrs.).

The difference between the two ages is ______________________ years.

2. 
   Step two.
   

Show all work below