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Earth's Structure and Plate Tectonics Unit Test Review

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 18mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the process that occurs at convergent boundaries called?

a)

seafloor spreading

b)

subduction

c)

transform

d)

ridge push

2.

Wegener’s hypothesis of ____________ stated that Earth’s continents had once been joined as a single landmass.

a)

continental drift

b)

magnetic reversal

c)

seafloor spreading

d)

paleomagnetism

3.

____________ are places where plates slide horizontally past each other.

a)

Divergent boundaries

b)

Transform boundaries

c)

Convergent boundaries

d)

Rift valleys

4.

______________ is a process whereby the weight of an uplifted ocean ridge pushes an oceanic plate toward a subduction zone.

a)

Magnetic reversal

b)

Seafloor spreading

c)

Slab pull

d)

Ridge push

5.

The transfer of thermal energy by the movement of heated matter is ______________.

a)

continental drift

b)

convection

c)

paleomagnetism

d)

subduction

6.

Places where plates move apart are ____________.

a)

divergent boundaries

b)

transform boundaries

c)

convergent boundaries

d)

continental drift

7.

_____________ occurs when one tectonic plate descends beneath another.

a)

Continental drift

b)

Magnetic reversal

c)

Seafloor spreading

d)

Subduction

8.

The theory of __________ explains how new ocean crust is created at ocean ridges and destroyed in deep-sea trenches.

a)

continental drift

b)

seafloor spreading

c)

paleomagnetism

d)

plate tectonics

9.

Tectonic plates come together at ___________.

a)

divergent boundaries

b)

transform boundaries

c)

convergent boundaries

d)

rift valleys

10.

A long, narrow continental depression bordered by faults on each side is a ____________.

a)

magnetic reversal

b)

rift valley

c)

subduction

d)

Pangea

11.

Study the diagram showing the range of temperature in the Earth’s layers. Which temperature most likely corresponds to the asthenosphere?

a)

1,613°C

b)

2,521°C

c)

3,628°C

d)

6,217°C

12.

Which statement describes one of Wegener’s ideas that contributed to the theory of continental drift?

a)

The continents drifted apart due to repeated meteor impacts.

b)

The continents were once connected as one landmass.

c)

The continents have moved apart very quickly due to earthquakes.

d)

The continents are magnetically pulled toward or pushed away from one another.

13.

Many early mapmakers though Earth's continents had moved based on __________.

a)

plate boundary location

b)

climatic data

c)

fossil evidence

d)

matching coastlines

14.

Why was continental drift not widely accepted when it was first proposed?

a)

Wegener couldn’t explain why or how the continents moved.

b)

Continental landmasses were too big to move slowly over Earth’s surface.

c)

Magnetic and sonar data proved that Wegener’s hypothesis was incorrect.

d)

Mantle convection currents weren’t in motion at that time.

15.

Which evidence shows that landmasses had different climates millions of years ago and supports the theory of continental drift?

a)

coal fields in several continents

b)

Lystrosaurus fossils in Antarctica

c)

tropical plant fossils on Arctic islands

d)

folded mountains in Africa and South America

16.

Which statement best describes the theory of plate tectonics?

a)

Plates sometimes move closer to one another.

b)

Sections of Earth that shift are part of Earth’s asthenosphere.

c)

Sections of Earth’s continents are in slow, constant movement.

d)

Parts of the ocean floor move as they are carried by rift valleys.

17.

From which location does seafloor spreading originate?

a)

mid-ocean ridges

b)

edges of continents

c)

deep-ocean trenches

d)

underwater volcanoes

18.

Which statement explains what happens to older crust during seafloor spreading?

a)

It is destroyed at coastlines.

b)

It moves under continents.

c)

It is destroyed at a mid-ocean ridge.

d)

It moves away from a mid-ocean ridge.

19.

Features found at divergent boundaries include __________.

a)

ocean ridges

b)

crumpled mountains

c)

deep-sea trenches

d)

island arc volcanoes

20.

Subduction results in the formation of ___________.

a)

a deep-sea trench

b)

a rift valley

c)

a magnetic reversal

d)

new continental crust

21.

Continental-continental plate collisions produce _________.

a)

island arcs

b)

deep-sea trenches

c)

rift valleys

d)

very tall mountain ranges

22.

Crust is neither destroyed nor formed along which of the following boundaries?

a)

convergent

b)

transform

c)

divergent

d)

magnetic

23.

The driving forces of tectonic plates are related to convection currents in Earth’s ___________.

a)

crust

b)

inner core

c)

mantle

d)

outer core

24.

Which feature of Earth is created at mid-ocean ridges?

a)

new island chain

b)

new volcanoes

c)

new continents

d)

new ocean floor

25.

Which statement describes one event that happens at deep-ocean trenches?

a)

Crust is formed.

b)

Mountains are formed.

c)

Seafloor spreading occurs.

d)

Denser plates slide under lighter plates.

26.

Study the image of Earth’s layers. Which statement correctly compares the thicknesses of Earth’s layers?

a)

Earth’s mantle is thinner than its oceanic crust.

b)

Earth’s outer core is thicker than its mantle.

c)

Earth’s continental crust is thicker than its lithosphere.

d)

Earth’s lithosphere is thinner than its asthenosphere.

27.

Which region of Earth’s crust experiences the least amount of pressure?

a)

crust

b)

mantle

c)

outer core

d)

inner core

28.

Study the diagram showing the range of temperature in the Earth’s layers. What does the diagram show about Earth’s interior?

a)

The outer core is the hottest region.

b)

The mantle is hotter than the outer core.

c)

The continental crust is the coolest region.

d)

The inner core is cooler than the lithosphere.

29.

Which best explains how heat plays a role in the movement of materials within Earth’s interior?

a)

Hot material near Earth’s surface is more dense and sinks, and when it cools, it becomes less dense and rises.

b)

Hot material near the core is more dense and rises, and when it cools, it becomes less dense and sinks.

c)

Hot material near Earth’s surface is less dense and sinks, and when it cools, it becomes more dense and rises.

d)

Hot material near the core is less dense and rises, and when it cools, it becomes more dense and sinks.

30.

Many earthquakes occur near mid-ocean ridges but do not destroy or form new crust. Instead, plates slip past each other. Which kind of boundary is found at these earthquake locations?

a)

transform boundary between two ocean plates

b)

transform boundary between two continental plates

c)

convergent boundary between two ocean plates

d)

convergent boundary between two continental plates

31.

Study the image of Earth’s interior. Which phrase explains what the arrows show?

a)

how convection currents move in Earth’s interior

b)

the location of heated material near Earth’s surface

c)

where plates move as material cools in the outer core

d)

why the densities of materials remain constant at different layers

32.

Which statement explains the relationship between the density of a material and its movement in Earth’s interior?

a)

Cooler materials move from Earth’s mantle to the lithosphere.

b)

Cooler materials are highly dense, causing them to sink to the outer core.

c)

Warmer materials sink to the mantle because their density slowly decreases.

d)

Warmer materials have a high density, causing them to rise to Earth’s surface.

33.

Study this image. Which statement correctly explains what is happening in the image?

a)

A volcano is forming.

b)

Plates are converging.

c)

A rift valley is forming.

d)

A transform boundary is occurring.

34.

Study the image. Which feature is modeled in the diagram?

a)

A convergent boundary is formed.

b)

Two plates are forming a divergent boundary.

c)

Continental plates are sliding past each other.

d)

Several mid-ocean ridges are formed on Earth’s surface.

35.

Study the image. Which phrase describes this plate boundary?

a)

does not occur in oceans

b)

may form rift valleys

c)

is a type of convergent boundary

d)

is a region where earthquakes occur