Convection Currents and Plate Tectonics

What moves Earth's Tectonic Plates?

​Earth's crust is broken into TECTONIC PLATES

​Earth's crust is broken into TECTONIC PLATES

• There are 15 major tectonic plates.

• Plates include the continents and the oceans

​What Moves Earth's Tectonic Plates?

​

CONVECTION CURRENTS​

​Hot water rises

​

Cool water sinks​

Convection Currents happen in the mantle

​Hot magma rises

​

Cool magma sinks​

Multiple Choice

The movement of the tectonic plates is caused by

• the rotation of the Earth.

• convection currents in the Asthenosphere

• the gravity of the iron-nickel core.

• the Moho discontinuity.

Multiple Choice

What causes convection current in the Earth?

• The uneven heating on each layer inside the Earth.

• The crusts outer layer.

• The temperatures we feel outside.

Multiple Choice

What is the force that moves the continents?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Conveyor belts

Multiple Choice

The geological theory that states that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant, slow motion is the theory of

• subduction

• plate tectonics

• evolution

• seafloor spreading

Multiple Choice

Who is the person credited with developing the theory of continental drift?

• Harry Hess

• Galileo

• Alfred Wegener

• Newton

Multiple Choice

What does the theory of continental drift state?

• The continents were once joined in a super-continent and have moved over time

• Continents are stationary and do not move

• The Earth is broken into lithospheric plates that move due to convection currents

• none of the above

Multiple Choice

Alfred Wegener thought South America and Africa have similar coastlines because...

• the mesosaurus fossils were found on both continents

• He noticed that similar rocks were found on both continents

• he thought that the continents used be be joined together

• Pangaea was 250 million years ago

Multiple Choice

This is a picture of glacier scars found in Africa.  What are these evidence for?

• Africa has always been near the equator

• Africa was once in an area of the Earth that had a very cold climate

• The continents have not moved

• sea floor spreading