Unit 4 Plate Tectonics Test Review

What is the theory that continents split apart and have moved around the planet called?

• Alfred Wegener

• Convection

• Seafloor Spreading

• Continental Drift

Answer explanation

The theory that continents split apart and moved around the planet is known as Continental Drift. Proposed by Alfred Wegener, it explains the movement of continents over geological time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What happens during subduction?

• one plate gets pushed under another

• volcanoes can not be found here

• Pangaea occurs

• both plates sink

Answer explanation

During subduction, one tectonic plate is forced under another, leading to geological activity such as earthquakes and the formation of volcanoes. This process is crucial in shaping the Earth's crust.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

This is the outer part of the Earth and contains the crust and upper mantle.

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• crustosphere

• basatlosphere

Answer explanation

The lithosphere is the outer layer of the Earth, comprising the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. It is rigid and plays a crucial role in tectonic activity, distinguishing it from the softer asthenosphere beneath.

What is created during a transform boundary?

• mountains

• earthquakes

• trenches

• mid-ocean ridge

Answer explanation

During a transform boundary, tectonic plates slide past each other, causing friction and stress that often results in earthquakes. Therefore, the correct answer is earthquakes.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Within the Earth's mantle, heat is transferring and providing the force for plate tectonics to move. This heat transfer is -

• tectonic currents

• divergent currents

• sea-floor currents

• convection currents

Answer explanation

The heat transfer within the Earth's mantle that drives plate tectonics is due to convection currents. These currents occur as hot material rises and cooler material sinks, creating a cycle that facilitates the movement of tectonic plates.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

What is the process called in which tectonic plates split apart from each other causing mid-ocean ridges?

• subduction

• convection

• fault

• Seafloor spreading

Answer explanation

The process where tectonic plates split apart, leading to the formation of mid-ocean ridges, is known as seafloor spreading. This occurs at divergent boundaries where new oceanic crust is created.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Which of the following is EVIDENCE that supports the theory of continental drift?

• bird flight patterns

• fossils of the same plant and animal have been found on different continents

• video evidence of the supercontinent breaking apart

• there is no evidence to support this theory

Answer explanation

Fossils of the same plant and animal found on different continents provide strong evidence for continental drift, as it suggests these landmasses were once connected, allowing species to inhabit them before drifting apart.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

An intense shaking of Earth’s surface caused by movements along a fault, or fractures in Earth’s crust.

• volcanoes

• tsunami

• earthquake

• landslide

Answer explanation

An earthquake is defined as an intense shaking of the Earth's surface caused by movements along faults in the Earth's crust, making it the correct answer. Volcanoes, tsunamis, and landslides are different geological phenomena.

What is the name of the crust that is made up of granite?

• continental

• subduction

• oceanic

• magnetic fields

Answer explanation

The crust made up of granite is known as continental crust. This type of crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust, which is primarily composed of basalt.

This scientific theory describes the large scale motion of Earth's plates in the lithosphere -

• Theory of Universal Gravitation

• Theory of Pangea

• Theory of Convection Plates

• Theory of Tectonic Plates

Answer explanation

The Theory of Tectonic Plates explains the large-scale motion of Earth's lithospheric plates, which is fundamental to understanding geological phenomena like earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3