Exploring Plate Tectonics

What are the three main types of plate boundaries?

• Divergent, Convergent, Subduction

• Subduction, Compression, Expansion

• Fracture, Shear, Tension

• Lateral, Radial, Axial

Describe the characteristics of a convergent boundary.

• Convergent boundaries are where tectonic plates move apart, causing rift valleys.

• Convergent boundaries are characterized by tectonic plates sliding past each other, leading to minimal geological activity.

• Convergent boundaries are characterized by tectonic plates moving towards each other, leading to subduction, earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain formation.

• Convergent boundaries are formed by tectonic plates that remain stationary, resulting in flat landscapes.

What is the primary cause of earthquakes?

• Human activities like mining

• Movement of tectonic plates along faults

• Weather changes

• Volcanic eruptions

Explain how tectonic plates can lead to volcanic activity.

• Tectonic plates only cause earthquakes, not volcanic activity.

• Tectonic plates can lead to volcanic activity through subduction and divergence, causing magma formation and eruptions.

• Volcanic activity is solely due to ocean currents and not tectonic movements.

• Magma is formed only in the center of the Earth, unrelated to tectonic plates.

What is the difference between oceanic and continental plates?

• Oceanic plates are less dense and more buoyant than continental plates.

• Oceanic plates are thinner and denser than continental plates, which are thicker and less dense.

• Oceanic plates are thicker and denser than continental plates.

• Continental plates are found only on land, while oceanic plates are found only in water.

How does the theory of continental drift explain the current positions of continents?

• The theory of continental drift explains that continents were once joined and have since moved apart due to tectonic plate movements.

• The theory states that continents are fixed and do not move over time.

• Continents drift due to ocean currents rather than tectonic plate movements.

• Continents have always been in their current positions since the Earth's formation.

What evidence supports the theory of seafloor spreading?

• Evidence supporting seafloor spreading includes the age of oceanic crust, magnetic striping, and volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges.

• The presence of coral reefs in the ocean

• The temperature of ocean water at the surface

• The thickness of continental crust

Define a transform boundary and give an example.

• Transform fault; example: Great Rift Valley.

• Transform boundary; example: San Andreas Fault.

• Convergent boundary; example: Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

• Divergent boundary; example: Himalayas.

How do subduction zones contribute to earthquake formation?

• Subduction zones create earthquakes by separating tectonic plates.

• Subduction zones only affect volcanic activity, not earthquakes.

• Subduction zones prevent earthquakes by stabilizing tectonic plates.

• Subduction zones contribute to earthquake formation by creating intense pressure and friction between tectonic plates, leading to sudden energy release.

What role do hotspots play in volcanic activity?

• Hotspots provide a source of heat and magma that leads to volcanic activity.

• Hotspots are areas with no volcanic activity.

• Hotspots are caused by ocean currents.

• Hotspots only occur at tectonic plate boundaries.