SEAS curriculum: Unit 3

Finding and exploring hydrothermal vents

This unit contains five activities. Each can be downloaded separately.

Introduction

This unit focuses on hydrothermal vents, how they are formed and how they are found. Students build background knowledge in basic properties of matter, including density, temperature, convection, solutions and precipitation and learn the basics of vent plumbing systems in ridge areas. With this knowledge, they re-enact a research cruise to the Juan de Fuca ridge in the north-eastern Pacific, and use temperature and density data from a CTD probe to determine the precise location of a vent. They simulate verifying the presence of vents and examine representative samples retrieved from the deep-sea site.

Activity 1: Cold water, hot water and super-heated water

Students explore water density properties and are introduced to the basics of hydrothermal vents. They discuss vent plumes and observe and document the interaction of hot water with cold water in a model system.

Download Unit 3 Activity 1 now (0.5MB .pdf)

Activity 2: Precipitates and black smokers

students explore the differences between seawater and hydrothermal vent fluid and are introduced to precipitates. In a short lab, they observe differences between solutions and precipitates, and draw comparisons to the dramatic precipitates of the vents known as "black smokers."

Download Unit 3 Activity 2 now (0.25MB .pdf)

Activity 3: Density and convection currents

Students make connections between the familiar dispersal of scents and the cues that scientists use to find hydrothermal vents. They also explore currents, both those in the classroom and those in the ocean and assess their model.

Download Unit 3 Activity 3 now (1.1MB .pdf)