Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Review

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

The outermost, rigid layer of the Earth, made up of the crust and the upper mantle, divided into tectonic plates.

Front

How do the Hawaiian islands form?

Back

They form at a hotspot, where magma from the mantle rises to create volcanic islands.

Front

What evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support his theory of continental drift?

Back

Wegener used evidence such as continents and fossils fitting together like puzzle pieces, glacier scars, and matching mountain ranges across continents.

Front

True or False: Hotspots move in the mantle.

Back

False. Hotspots remain stationary while tectonic plates move over them.

Front

What is Pangaea?

Back

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, where all continents were joined together.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large pieces of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries, causing geological activity.

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The semi-fluid layer of the upper mantle beneath the lithosphere, allowing tectonic plates to move.

Front

What happens at a convergent boundary?

Back

At a convergent boundary, two tectonic plates collide, which can lead to mountain formation, earthquakes, or volcanic activity.

Front

What is a divergent boundary?

Back

A divergent boundary is where two tectonic plates move apart, leading to the formation of new crust, such as mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is a transform boundary?

Back

A transform boundary is where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally, causing earthquakes.