Plate Tectonics: Continental Drift & Seafloor Spreading

In the Atlantic ocean, where is the youngest seafloor located?

• Towards the edges, near the eastern and western continents
• Towards the middle of the ocean
• Towards the north and south poles
• Young seafloor is located randomly throughout the ocean

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

How do scientists figure out the age of the seafloor?

• They research it from ancient sea maps that trading vessels would use in the 1700s
• They use the moon phases and eclipses to calculate the age
• They use seismographs and the depth as well as location of earthquakes to calculate the age
• They take drill ships to many locations in the oceans and collect, then date, rock samples. 

What two words are BEST used to describe how the seafloor spreads?

• magma and convection

• earthquakes and convection

• lava and convention

• volcanoes and earthquakes

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Process by which new ocean crust forms.

• Seafloor spreading

• Continental drift

• Mid-ocean ridge

• Rift

The zone where one plate slides under another is called the

• Convergent zone
• Subduction zone
• Transform zone
• Mantle zone

Undersea mountain range.

• Rift
• Mid-ocean ridge
• seafloor spreading
• Continental drift

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What are Mid-Ocean Ridges?

• A chain of underwater waterfalls 
• A chain of underwater volcanos
• A chain of underwater mountains
• A chain of underwater rocks

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Sea-floor spreading begins at the

• Deep ocean trench

• Mid-ocean ridge

• Continent's edge

Why does oceanic crust sink below the continental crust during subduction

• oceanic crust is less dense

• oceanic crust is more dense

• oceanic crust is older

• oceanic crust is warmer

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Wegener's idea of Continental Drift was rejected by geologists because _________.

• He used too many pieces of evidence to support the idea.

• It is impossible to predict what Earth looked like millions of years ago.

• He couldn't explain HOW or WHY the continents moved.

• They were afraid of the new idea.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5