Tectonic Plates and Plate Movements

What are tectonic plates?

• Fragments of the lithosphere that move due to convection currents

• Blocks of the Earth's mantle that form the lithosphere

• Pieces of the Earth's crust that are dragged by the asthenosphere

• Divisions of the lithosphere caused by volcanic activity

How many major tectonic plates are there?

• 5

• 7

• 8

• 10

What is the difference between oceanic and continental plates?

• Oceanic plates are denser and made of felsic rocks, while continental plates are less dense and made of mafic rocks

• Oceanic plates are thinner and covered by marine waters, while continental plates are thicker and always above sea level

• Oceanic plates are formed by sodium, potassium, and aluminum silicates, while continental plates are formed by silicates of iron and magnesium

• Oceanic plates are always convergent, while continental plates can be convergent, divergent, or transform

Which tectonic plate includes Europe, most of Asia, and part of the North Atlantic Ocean?

• Eurasian Plate

• African Plate

• Australian Plate

• North American Plate

Which tectonic plate covers almost the entire African continent?

• Eurasian Plate

• African Plate

• Australian Plate

• South American Plate

Which tectonic plate includes Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the Southwest Pacific?

• Eurasian Plate

• African Plate

• Australian Plate

• North American Plate

Which tectonic plate includes the entire North American subcontinent?

• Eurasian Plate

• African Plate

• Australian Plate

• North American Plate

Which tectonic plate includes the subcontinent of South America?

• South American Plate

• Pacific Plate

• Antarctic Plate

• Nazca Plate

Which tectonic plate is an oceanic plate with divergent boundaries from the Pacific ridge?

• South American Plate

• Pacific Plate

• Antarctic Plate

• Nazca Plate

What causes volcanic eruptions?

• Collision of tectonic plates

• Convergence of oceanic and continental plates

• Subduction of oceanic plates

• Divergence of continental plates