UNIT 5: INVESTIGATING FORCES THAT CHANGE THE EARTH

Scientists recently discovered that rocks collected from the Franklin Mountains in West Texas and rocks collected from mountains in eastern Antarctica were exactly the same age. Further research showed that the rocks were chemically and geologically the same and came from the same magma source. This discovery provides evidence of —

• coastal erosion

• plate tectonics

• ocean currents

• glacial melting

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Alfred Wegener’s theory of continental drift was widely disbelieved by fellow scientists at the time because he was NOT able to —

• show others a map of the continents

• fit all the continents together

• explain the mechanism for the movement of continents

• show others fossil evidence

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Scientists discovered trilobite fossils in Oklahoma and Morocco, as illustrated on the map below.  Additional research in these areas shows that the rocks in Oklahoma and Morocco surrounding these fossils are physically and chemically similar. 

The discovery of trilobite fossils in Oklahoma and Morocco provide evidence of — 

• plate tectonic movement

• volcanic eruptions

• weathering and erosion

• weathering and deposition

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Alfred Wegener noted that fossils from a particular type of reptile were found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  Which of the following would be the best explanation of how this occurred?

• The reptiles swam across the ocean.

• The Atlantic Ocean did not exist in earlier times.

• They walked across a giant land bridge that has weathered away.

• The reptiles walked across an ice bridge located near the equator.

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Scientists believe that convection currents within the____ are responsible for the movement of the plates that form the Earth's crust.

• Asthenosphere

• Lithosphere

• Inner core

• Outer core

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Which two continents did Alfred Wegener think looked like they fit together like puzzle pieces?

• North America and South America

• Europe and Africa

• North America and Europe

• South America and Africa

Which scientist is credited for first proposing Continental Drift Theory?

• Albert Einstein

• Alfred Wegener

• Abraham Ortelius

• Harry Hess

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The diagram below shows a model of the movement of two tectonic plates. When the plates collide, one plate often moves below the other plate.

The rising magma that can result from this type of plate movement may produce —

• fossil layers

• volcanic islands

• deep-sea sediment

• seafloor spreading

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The San Andreas fault is a transform fault. The map below shows a student’s approximation of where the fault line crosses through the United States. Students were asked to make maps predicting which way land would most likely move over thousands of years.

Which map best predicts the likely movement of land along the fault line over thousands of years?

• 
• 
• 

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A mid-ocean ridge separates the Pacific plate and the Nazca plate off the western coast of South America.

Which statement best describes the relative motions of the Pacific and Nazca plates?

• The Pacific and Nazca plates are both moving to the east.

• The Pacific and Nazca plates are both moving to the west.

• The Pacific plate is moving to the west, and the Nazca plate is moving to the east.

• The Pacific plate is moving to the east, and the Nazca plate is moving to the west.

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