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PLATE TECTONICS

Total questions: 37

Worksheet time: 19mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Subduction is

a)

the process by which more dense oceanic crust sinks (like a SUBmarine) beneath a less dense crust forming deep ocean trenches

b)

the direct transfer of heat through solid materials

c)

the process that continually adds new ocean floor

d)

a device that bounces sound waves off of underwater objects

2.

Earth's lithosphere is broken into seperate sections called

a)

trenches

b)

plates

c)

faults

d)

rifts

3.

Who first proposed the hypothesis of continental drift?

a)

Harry Hess

b)

Alfred Wegener

c)

Albert Einstein

d)

Alexander Volta

4.

A place where 2 plates slip past (side by side) each other in opposite directions is

a)

divergent boundry

b)

subduction zone

c)

convergent boundrty

d)

transform boundry

5.

Convection currents take place in the

a)

lithosphere

b)

outer core

c)

mesosphere

d)

asthenoshpere

6.

The process that continually adds new material to the ocean floor is

a)

erosion

b)

conduction

c)

sea-floor spreading

d)

subduction

7.

Scientists rejected Wegener's hypothisis because he could not

a)

explain why continental crust sinks beneath trenches

b)

describe the climate of Pangea

c)

explain what force pushes and pulls continents

d)

describe how seeds moved from Africa to South America

8.

What type of plate boundry is located where two plates move away (divide) from each other?

a)

transform

b)

convergent

c)

divergent

d)

subduction

9.

The supercontinent that began to break apart about 225 million years ago is called

a)

Australia

b)

Eurasia

c)

Pangea

d)

Africa

10.

A vast, underwater mountain chain is called

a)

deep-sea trench

b)

ocean floor sediment

c)

mid-ocean ridge

d)

oceanic crust

11.

What is the theory that Earth's plates are in constant slow motion due to forces deep inside the Earth?

a)

Sea Floor Spreading

b)

Plate Tectonics

c)

Continental Drift

d)

Superposition

12.

When an oceanic plate (more dense) and a continental plate (less dense), converge which of the following will happen?


Hint (converge = collide)

a)

The Oceanic plate will be subducted under the continental plate

b)

The continental plate will be subducted under the oceanic plate

c)

The sea floor will spread

d)

A mid-ocean ridge will form

13.

The most active earthquake areas are associated with the boundries of the lithospheric plates. Identify one geologic event, other than an earthquake, that may also occur in these areas.

a)

hurricanes

b)

sea floor spreading

c)

volcanoes

d)

folded mountains

14.

As the oceanic crust moves away from the mid-ocean ridge

a)

it melts and thins

b)

it cools and becomes more dense

c)

it becomes a liquid

d)

it freezes

15.

When 2 continental plates (both the same density) converge, what feature is likely to be formed?


Hint (converge = collide)

a)

A mid-ocean ridge

b)

A subduction zone

c)

A mountain range

d)

A rift valley

16.

The youngest rocks on the ocean floor are located where?

a)

near continents

b)

at mid-ocean ridges

c)

near Asia

d)

far from mid-ocean ridges

17.

Convection currents in Earth's mantle are believed to be responsible for


Hint (what are the convection currents under?)

a)

ocean currents

b)

crustal plate movements

c)

climatic changes

d)

uneven surface heating

18.

The continental crust is made up of

a)

granite

b)

basalt

19.

The oceanic crust is made up of


Hint (what type of water is in the ocean?)

a)

granite

b)

basalt

20.

The convergent boundry where an older, more dense oceanic plate subducts underneath a younger oceanic plate forms a

a)

transform boundry

b)

deep ocean trench

c)

plate tectonics

d)

mid-ocean ridge

21.

A fault is

a)

a break or crack in the Earth's crust

b)

a trench in the ocean

c)

the area surrounding a volcano

d)

the layer of rock that forms Earth's outer surface

22.

The inner core is

a)

a layer of molten nickle and iron that surrounds the mantle

b)

the layer of hot, solid material between the crust and the core

c)

the most dense layer of the Earth consisting of solid nickle and iron

d)

a layer of the Earth which flows like plastic

23.

Basalt is ________________________


HINTS (What comes up from the center of the earth to form the ocean floor?)

(What type of water is in the ocean?)

a)

sedimentary rock that makes up most of the continental crust

b)

sedimentary rock that makes up most of the oceanic crust

c)

igneous rock that makes up most of the contintal crust

d)

igneous rock that makes up most of the oceanic crust

24.

Sea floor spreading is

a)

the process that transfers heat energy by direct contact

b)

the process by which molten material rises from the mantle and creates new oceanic crust

c)

the process by which the Earth's magnestic field is created

d)

the process that transfers heat through convection

25.

Subduction zone is

a)

the layer of hot, solid material between the crust and core

b)

the area where a denser plate is uplifted along a divergent boundry

c)

the area where a denser plate descends (sinks) into the Earth along a convergent boundry

d)

the place where a transform boundry is always found

26.

Which of the following plate interactions is most likely to create a mountain range?

a)

A transform boundry between oceanic plates

b)

A transform boundry between continental plates

c)

A convergent boundry between continental plates

d)

A subduction zone between a continental plate and an oceanic plate

27.

When 2 plates that differ in __________ collide, volcanoes often form nearby.

a)

speed

b)

density

c)

thickness

d)

temperature

28.

The process that molten material rises from the earth and creates new oceanic crust is

a)

seismic waves

b)

sea floor spreading

c)

crustal plate movement

d)

heat transfer

29.

The process that heat transfers energy through direct contact is

a)

convection

b)

radiation

c)

conduction

30.

plate boundry where 2 plates collide is a

a)

convergent boundry

b)

transform boundry

c)

rift valley

d)

divergent boundry

31.

Subduction zone is where a denser plate sinks into the earth's mantle at a convergent boundry

a)

true

b)

false

32.

The movement of fluid due to differences in temperature, density and force of gravity is what type of current

a)

conduction

b)

radiation

c)

convection

d)

subduction

33.

The type of rock formed by hardened magma is

a)

sedimentary rock

b)

igneous rock

c)

metaporphic rock

d)

subducted rock

34.

What theory states that Earth's continents are all in constant, slow motion is

a)

conduction

b)

convergence

c)

continental drift

d)

plate tectonics

35.

A plate boundary where 2 plates seperate or move away from eachother is a fault

a)

true

b)

false

36.

A plate boundary where 2 plates slide past eachother is a divergent boundary

a)

true

b)

false

37.

A break or crack in the Earths's crust where slabs of rock have moved or been displaced is a fault

a)

true

b)

false