Plate Tectonics Quiz

What is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, called?

• Asthenosphere

• Lithosphere

• Mesosphere

• Core

Which type of rock provides evidence of seafloor spreading?

• Granite

• Basalt

• Sandstone

• Gneiss

The age of oceanic crust near mid-ocean ridges is generally:

• Older than continental crust

• Younger than continental crust

• The same as continental crust

• Indeterminate

What type of boundary occurs when two plates move away from each other?

• Convergent

• Divergent

• Transform

• Subduction

What is the primary feature of a convergent boundary between oceanic and continental plates?

• Rift valley

• Subduction zone

• Mid-ocean ridge

• Strike-slip fault

What is the term for the sliding motion of tectonic plates past one another?

• Divergence

• Subduction

• Convergence

• Transform motion

Which layer allows tectonic plates to move due to its plasticity?

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Outer core

What role does slab pull play in plate tectonics?

• Pushes plates apart

• Pulls subducting plates downward

• Stabilizes plate movement

• Prevents plate collisions

The Andes Mountains were formed due to the subduction of which plate?

• Pacific Plate beneath South American Plate

• Nazca Plate beneath South American Plate

• African Plate beneath Eurasian Plate

• Indian Plate beneath Eurasian Plate

The Mariana Trench is an example of:

• Transform boundary

• Divergent boundary

• Subduction zone

• Hotspot activity