Earth Science and Plate Tectonics Quiz

Which part of the Earth produces the heat that drives mantle convection currents?

• Crust

• Mantle

• Inner core

• Outer core

The mantle moves because:

• It is made of solid rock

• Heat from the inner core causes convection currents

• The crust pushes down on it

• Magnetic fields pull it upward

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

The mantle is about:

• 290 km thick

• 2,900 km thick

• 29,000 km thick

• 9,200 km thick

The mantle is mostly composed of:

• Oxygen and nitrogen

• Iron and nickel

• Silicate rocks with magnesium and iron

• Pure molten lava

Which statement best describes the mantle’s behavior?

• Solid, never moving

• Gas-like, flowing quickly

• Solid rock with cracks

• A very slow-moving liquid

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

When plates move toward each other, what often forms?

• Mid-ocean ridges

• Fold mountains

• Rift valleys

• Transform faults

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which type of boundary creates the most friction and earthquakes?

• Divergent boundary

• Convergent boundary

• Transform boundary

• Subduction zone

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

Seafloor spreading occurs mainly at:

• Subduction zones

• Mid-ocean ridges

• Fault lines

• Mountain ranges

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The Earth’s crust is best described as:

• A single unbroken shell

• Broken into tectonic plates

• A solid plate floating on air

• A rigid layer fused with the mantle

What drives the movement of tectonic plates?

• Solar radiation

• Gravity alone

• Mantle convection currents

• Magnetic fields

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3