Plate tectonics

Scientists say that Earth's surface is broken up into many pieces (plates). 

As seen from above, which image best represents Earth's surface?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Which of the following statements best describes how these broken pieces (plates) on the surface of Earth move?

• Plates stay where they are and do not move.

• Plates move sometimes and do not move other times.

• Plates are moving slowly and constantly.

• Plates moved in the distant past, but they do not move today.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

There is evidence that there was once only a single continent called Pangea. Currently, seven continents exist on Earth. See the picture.

Which of the following statements best describes what happened to Pangea?

• Earthquakes and volcanoes broke Pangea into smaller pieces.

• Material movement in Earth's interior caused Pangea to break apart.

• Wind and waves broke Pangea into smaller pieces.

• Earth's magnetic field pulled Pangea apart into smaller pieces.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Geologists say that there was once a single continent on Earth called Pangea.

How long did it take for the single continent to split and move into the continents we see on Earth today?

• about 200 years

• about 200 million years

• about 2 billion years

• about 2 million years

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What force is responsible for the motion along the boundary between the Nazca and South American plates?

• ridge push

• slab pull

• rising hot mantle

• none of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Two plates move toward each other. Plate A is more dense (heavier for its size) than Plate B.

Which of the following outcomes is likely to occur?

• The two plates combine together to form a single plate.

• Plate B goes under Plate A.

• The plates stop moving.

• The two plates bounce off each other.

• Plate A goes under Plate B.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

From the images above, it is clear that the South American continent and the African continent have been separating. Which features formed between South America and Africa (the boxed area in the image below) as the continents separated? Choose the best answer.

• an ocean and a deep ocean trench

• an ocean, a mid-ocean ridge, and a chain of volcanic islands

• an ocean and a mid-ocean ridge

• an ocean, a mid-ocean ridge, and a deep ocean trench

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

In the relief map in Seismic Explorer, what color represents the trench (deepest parts of the ocean)?

• light blue

• dark blue

• dark orange

• red

Where is the youngest oceanic crust?

• Near the shore

• Near the mid-ocean ridge

• All the oceanic crust is the same age

• There's no way to determine the age of the oceanic crust

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

At which type of boundary does ridge push occur?

• convergent

• divergent

• transform

• all of the above

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1