Tectonic Plates

The map below shows the present day locations of South America and Africa. Remains of Mesosaurus, an extinct fresh water reptile have been found in similarly aged rock layers formed from lake sediments.

Which statement represents the best conclusion from this evidence?

• Mesosaurus migrated across frozen oceans from Africa to South America during an ice age.

• The continents of South America and Africa were once joined when the Mesosaurus lived.

• The continents of South America and Africa once had underground waterways where the Mesosaurus travelled from continent to continent.

• The continents of South America and Africa had very different climates from each other which caused the Mesosaurus to migrate from season to season.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What 2 pieces of evidence are there for tectonic plates drifting or moving?

• continents fit like a jigsaw puzzle and fossil record

• similar mountain ranges around the world, one plant species on all continents

• gold and diamond deposits on all continents

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Under the ocean 'mountain ranges' are called:

• trench

• aquatic ranges

• ridges

• salty hills

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

This type of boundary occurs when tectonic plate move together.

• covergent

• divergent

• transform

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

This is the type of boundary that occurs when tectonic plates move apart.

• convergent

• divergent

• transform

This type of boundary occurs when tectonic plates slide past one another.

• convergent

• divergent

• transform

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which of the following is found mainly around transform boundaries?

• ridges

• earthquakes

• mountains

• trenches

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Subduction in convergent boundaries causes:

• The less dense plate to sink under the denser one

• The denser plate to sink under the less dense one

• The slowest plate to sink under the fastest one

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Peru and Chile are part of South America, which sits on the South American tectonic plate. The Nazca plate is moving toward the South American plate. It is pushed downward, which causes it to slide under the South American plate. Based on this information, what feature could we expect to see off the coast of Peru and Chile?

• Continent formation

• Poor fishing conditions

• Ocean trench

• Severe tropical storms

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

250 million years ago, New York City and Africa were next to each other. They were both part of a super continent called Pangea. Explain what happened after:

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3