Free Printable Earth's Tectonic Plates

1.

What is the name of the hypothesis that said that a single large landmass broke into smaller pieces and formed the continents, which drifted to their present positions?

a)

Plate tectonics

b)

plate movement

c)

continental shift

d)

continental drift

2.

Which can form when oceanic plates move toward each other? Choose 3

a)

deep-ocean trenches

b)

Volcanic mountains

c)

Volcanic islands

d)

rift valleys

3.

What happens when two plates move away from each other?

a)

They collide.

b)

One plate sinks and gets melted into magma.

c)

Mountains form

d)

Magma rises in the rift valley and causes eruptions.

4.

What most often causes earthquakes to occur?

a)

Two plates moving toward each other.

b)

The plates moving away from each other.

c)

Two plates moving past each other.

d)

Landslides

5.

Which is a divergent boundary?

a)

When tectonic plates are moving away from each other.

b)

When tectonic plates are moving towards each other.

c)

When tectonic plates are moving past each other.

d)

When a fence is built.

6.

What type of landform is likely to occur where two plates converge (come together in a subduction zone where one is forced below a continental plate)?

a)

trench

b)

island volcanic arc

c)

folded mountains

d)

continental volcanic arc

7.

Which processes are best explained by the theory of plate tectonics?

a)

life cycles of plants

b)

food chains and webs

c)

changes in air pressure

d)

earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

8.

Which kind of plate would have thinner, denser rock?

a)

oceanic plate

b)

lithospheric plate

c)

continental plate

d)

dinner plate

9.

Which statement explains why tectonic plates move?

a)

Plates move because the asthenosphere is slowly moving because of convection currents.

b)

Plates move because they are slowly expanding and growing larger.

c)

Plates move because landforms cause them to move in different directions.

d)

Plates move because of the gravitational force of the moon pulling on Earth's surface.

10.

Which description is evidence for the theory of plate tectonics but does not suggest that the continents were once connected?

a)

matching rock layers on separate continents

b)

similar land features on separated, present-day continents

c)

the interlocking of present-day coastlines, such as Africa and South America

d)

thin layer of sediment covering the ocean floor, indicating that it was relatively young

11.

How does the age of rock located further away from the mid-ocean ridge compare to those that are closer?

a)

The rocks that are further away are the same age as the one that are closer.

b)

The rocks that are further away are older than the ones that are closer.

c)

The rocks that are further away are younger than the ones that are closer.

12.

What is this picture showing?

a)

linear sea

b)

ocean basin

c)

continental shelf

d)

mid ocean ridge

13.

What does the center of this diagram show?

a)

ocean basin

b)

mid ocean ridge

c)

tectonic plate

d)

rift valley

14.

This diagram shows the formation of a ___________________.

a)

rift valley

b)

deep ocean trench

c)

volcano

d)

linear sea

Earth's Tectonic Plates

Total questions: 14

Worksheet time: 10mins

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