Marie Tharp

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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https://smallwhale.org/articles/marie-tharp

Write what each word means, using the article.

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Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Marie Tharp born?July 30, 1920
2. When did Marie Tharp die?August 20, 2006 (age 86)
3. Where was Marie Tharp born?Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA
4. What was Marie Tharp's job?Lamont Geological Observatory (later Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) of Columbia University
5. Who was Marie Tharp?Marie Tharp was a brilliant mapmaker who studied the ocean floor. She used her skills to turn noisy data into clear maps of underwater mountains and valleys.
6. What did Marie Tharp map?She mapped the Mid‑Atlantic Ridge, a 10,000‑mile underwater mountain range, and later created a world map of the entire ocean floor. Her maps showed deep trenches, seamounts, and flat abyssal plains.

Bathymetry: The measurement and mapping of the depth of the ocean floor.
Physiographic Map: A map that shows the physical features of the Earth's surface, including landforms and underwater topography.
Plate Tectonics: The scientific theory that describes the large-scale motion of Earth's lithosphere, explaining phenomena like earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Seafloor Spreading: The process by which new oceanic crust is generated at mid-ocean ridges and moves away from the ridge crest.