EARTH B FINAL EXAM California Geology and Tectonics

Front

What type of fossils did Wegener notice were found on two different continents?

Back

Plants and animals

Front

What elements primarily make up the Earth's core?

Back

Nickel and Iron

Front

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

Back

All of the above: Continents and fossils fitting together, glacier scars, mountain ranges and coal deposits.

Front

How did the movement of Earth’s plates form certain landforms?

Back

Two continental plates collided.

Front

Is it true that the Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile, had fossils found in both South America and Africa?

Back

True

Front

What is the theory of continental drift?

Back

The theory that continents have moved over geological time and were once joined together.

Front

What geological feature is formed when two oceanic plates collide?

Back

A trench or volcanic island arc.

Front

What is subduction in plate tectonics?

Back

The process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is the significance of glacier scars in supporting continental drift?

Back

They indicate that glaciers once covered areas that are now separated by oceans.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries.