Plate Tectonics

What theory explains the structure and behavior of our planet?

• Theory of Evolution

• Theory of Quantum Mechanics

• Theory of Relativity

• Theory of Plate Tectonics

Who proposed the idea of continental drift in 1912?

• Charles Darwin

• Alfred Wegener

• Albert Einstein

• Harry Hess

What was the supercontinent called that existed about 225 to 300 million years ago?

• Pangaea

• Eurasia

• Laurasia

• Gondwana

What did Bruce Heezen and Marie Tharp map in the 1950s?

• The Amazon Rainforest

• The Atlantic ocean floor

• The Moon's surface

• The Sahara Desert

What records the Earth's magnetic field reversals?

• Ocean water currents

• Rocks containing iron

• Atmospheric patterns

• Tree rings

What is the process called when oceanic crust is recycled into the mantle?

• Photosynthesis

• Condensation

• Erosion

• Subduction

What type of boundary is the San Andreas Fault an example of?

• Subductive boundary

• Transform boundary

• Convergent plate boundary

• Divergent plate boundary

What happens when two continental plates collide?

• They cause the sea level to rise

• They push up huge mountain ranges

• One is subducted under the other

• They merge without any geological activity

What is the primary force driving plate tectonics?

• Solar radiation

• Gravitational pull from the moon

• Mantle convection

• Centrifugal force due to Earth's rotation

What phenomenon causes earthquakes?

• Volcanic eruptions

• Movement of ocean currents

• Shifting of tectonic plates

• Changes in atmospheric pressure