6.2 & 6.3 Test Practice

Front

What occurs at a transform boundary?

Back

Two plates slide past each other horizontally.

Front

What is convection in the context of plate tectonics?

Back

The process of heat transfer in fluids, causing the movement of tectonic plates.

Front

What is a trench in geological terms?

Back

A deep underwater valley formed by the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.

Front

How does sediment that is closer to a mid-ocean ridge compare with sediment that is farther away?

Back

Sediment closer to a mid-ocean ridge is younger.

Front

What is paleomagnetism?

Back

The study of alignment of magnetic minerals in rocks, which provides evidence for plate tectonics.

Front

What is ridge push?

Back

A tectonic process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where the weight of the elevated ridge pushes tectonic plates apart.

Front

What is slab pull?

Back

The process by which a tectonic plate sinks into the mantle at a subduction zone, pulling the rest of the plate along.

Front

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

An underwater mountain range formed by the upwelling of magma at divergent tectonic plate boundaries.

Front

What is the difference between oceanic and continental lithosphere?

Back

Oceanic lithosphere is denser and thinner than continental lithosphere.

Front

What is the significance of the study of tectonic plates?

Back

Understanding tectonic plates helps explain earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.