Earth Study Guide

Define Pangaea: A "supercontinent" where all of the continents were connected together.

• A supercontinent where all of the continents were connected together

• A group of islands

• A collection of separate landmasses

• A region divided by oceans

Continental Drift Theory is the theory that the continents are slowly moving away from each other based on evidence such as matching landforms, fossils, and sea floor spreading. Which statement best explains this theory?

• The continents are slowly moving away from each other.

• The continents remain static and unchanging.

• The continents are formed from volcanic activity only.

• The continents move rapidly due to tectonic collisions.

Define Subduction Zone: An area where a more dense oceanic plate subducts (or dips under) another oceanic plate or a less dense continental plate.

• An area where a more dense oceanic plate subducts (or dips under) another oceanic plate or a less dense continental plate.

• An area where two continental plates converge and create mountains.

• A region where tectonic plates pull apart creating new crust.

• An area characterized by the lateral sliding of tectonic plates past one another.

Define Convection Currents: Occur in the Mantle and Asthenosphere. Cause the plates to move. More dense magma sinks, less dense magma floats resulting in "boiling motion." Which of the following describes convection currents?

• They occur in the Mantle and Asthenosphere, causing the plates to move because more dense magma sinks and less dense magma floats resulting in a boiling motion.

• They occur in the Earth's core leading to magnetic field generation.

• They occur in the Lithosphere causing the formation of mountains.

• They occur due to the cooling of the Earth's crust leading to land formation.

Define Law of Superposition: In undisturbed layers older rocks and fossils are on the bottom while younger rocks and fossils are on the top.

• Older rocks and fossils are found below younger rocks and fossils.

• Younger rocks and fossils are found below older rocks and fossils.

• Rocks and fossils are arranged randomly.

• Fossils are always found in the middle layer.

Which of the following best defines Index Fossils?

• Organisms that lived a short time and period; widespread, abundant and have a short life.

• Organisms that lived a very long time and existed only in limited areas.

• Organisms that recently went extinct and had a wide range over geological time.

• Organisms that evolved gradually and are found in only specific strata.

New crust is formed without increasing the surface area of the Earth because new crust forms at mid-ocean ridges while old crust is subducted.

• New crust forms at mid-ocean ridges while old crust is subducted.

• The Earth's volume continuously expands.

• Volcanic eruptions increase the surface area.

• Continental drift creates new land.

Which two pieces of evidence support continental drift? Fossils match up on continents that are not near each other today and mountains and landforms match up on continents like puzzle pieces.

• Fossils match on non-adjacent continents and matching mountains and landforms across continents

• Similar climate zones on different continents

• Rock types vary across continents

• Ocean floor spreading patterns

What type of plate boundary involves plates moving away from each other?

• A) Convergent

• B) Divergent

• C) Transform

Fill in the blank: The event that happens at a transform boundary is __________.

• Earthquakes.

• Tsunamis.

• Volcanic Eruptions.

• Floods.