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Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics

Total questions: 36

Worksheet time: 39mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The block diagram represents the formation of an island arc near a plate boundary.


An island arc is located near the boundary between which two tectonic plates?

a)

Antarctic Plate and Indian–Australian Plate

b)

Philippine Plate and Eurasian Plate

c)

African Plate and North American Plate

d)

Scotia Plate and South American Plate

2.
Which statement best supports the theory of continental drift?
a)
Basaltic rock is found to be progressively younger at increasing distances from the mid-ocean ridge.
b)
Marine fossils are often found in deep-well drill cores.
c)
The present continents appear to fit together as pieces of a larger landmass.
d)
Areas of shallow-water seas tend to accumulate sediment, which gradual sinks.
3.
The edges of most lithospheric plates are characterized by
a)
 reversed magnetic orientation
b)
unusually rapid radioactive decay
c)
frequent volcanic activity
d)
 low P-wave and high S-wave velocity
4.
The movement of tectonic plates is inferred by many scientists to be driven by
a)
tidal motions in the hydrosphere
b)
density differences in the troposphere
c)
convection currents in the asthenosphere
d)
solidification in the lithosphere
5.
Which evidence supports the theory of seafloor spreading?
a)
The rocks of the ocean floor and the continents have similar origins. 
b)
In the ocean floor, rocks near the mid-ocean ridge are cooler than rocks near the continents. 
c)
The pattern of magnetic orientation of rocks is similar on both sides of the mid-ocean ridge. 
d)
The density of oceanic crust is greater than the density of continental crust.
6.
Folded sedimentary rock layers are usually caused by
a)
deposition of sediments in folded layers 
b)
differences in sediment density during deposition 
c)
a rise in sea level after deposition 
d)
crustal movement occurring after deposition
7.
Hot springs on the ocean floor near the mid-ocean ridges provide evidence that
a)
convection currents exist in the asthenosphere 
b)
meteor craters are found beneath the oceans 
c)
climate change has melted huge glaciers 
d)
marine fossils have been uplifted to high elevations
8.
According to the reference map of Tectonic Plates, the border between the South American plate and the African plate is best described as
a)
converging and located at an oceanic ridge 
b)
converging and located at an oceanic trench 
c)
diverging and located at an oceanic ridge 
d)
diverging and located at an oceanic trench
9.
Crustal formation, which may cause the widening of an ocean, is most likely occurring at the boundary between the
a)
African Plate and the Eurasian Plate
b)
Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate
c)
Indian-Australian Plate and the Antarctic Plate
d)
South American Plate and the North American Plate
10.
Earth’s magnetic field has reversed itself several times during the past. This pattern of magnetic reversal is best preserved in
a)
metamorphic bedrock in mountain ranges
b)
bedrock with fossils containing radioactive carbon-14
c)
layers of sedimentary bedrock of the Grand Canyon
d)
igneous bedrock of the oceanic crust
11.
The Andes Mountains and the Peru-Chile Trench must have formed when the Nazca Plate:
a)
Slid past the Sandwich Plate
b)
Collided with the South American Plate
c)
Moved toward the Pacific Plate
d)
Collided with the Eurasian Plate
12.
A transform plate boundary is located by the:
a)
Scotia plate
b)
African plate
c)
Eurasian plate
d)
Arabian plate
13.
Compared to the oceanic crust, the continental crust is usually
a)
thicker, with a less dense granitic composition
b)
thicker, with a more dense basaltic composition
c)
thinner, with a less dense granitic composition
d)
thinner, with a more dense basaltic composition
14.
Which coastal area is most likely to experience a severe earthquake?
a)
east coast of North America
b)
 east coast of Australia
c)
west coast of Africa
d)
west coast of South America
15.
Which observation about the Mid-Atlantic Ridge region provides the best evidence that the seafloor has been spreading for millions of years?
a)
The bedrock of the ridge and nearby seafloor is igneous rock.
b)
The ridge is the location of irregular volcanic eruptions.
c)
Several faults cut across the ridge and nearby seafloor.
d)
Seafloor bedrock is younger near the ridge and older farther away.
16.

Which statement best supports the theory that all the continents were once a single landmass?

a)

Rocks at ocean ridges are older than those adjacent of the sea floor.

b)

Rock and fossil correlation can be made where the continents appear to fit together.

c)

Marine fossils can be found at high elevations above sea level on all continents.

d)

Great thicknesses of shallow-water sediments are found at interior locations on some continents.

17.

The primary cause of convection currents in the Earth's mantle is believed to be the

a)

differences in densities of Earth materials

b)

subsidence of the crust

c)

occurrence of earthquakes

d)

rotation of the Earth

18.

Which geological feature is composed of the youngest crustal bedrock?

a)

Peru-Chili Trench

b)

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

c)

Adirondack Mountains

d)

San Andreas Fault

19.

Samples of ocean floor bedrock were collected at points A, B, C and D. Which sequence shows the correct order of the age of the bedrock from oldest to youngest?

a)

D>C>B>A

b)

A>D>B>C

c)

C>B>D>A

d)

A>B>D>C

20.

What formed the Hawaiian Islands?

a)

Mantle Hot Spot

b)

Trench

c)

Subduction

d)

Mid-Ocean Ridge

21.

The Hawaiian Islands were formed as a result of

a)

lava flowing over Earth’s surface where two tectonic plates move apart

b)

an oceanic plate moving over a mantle hot spot

c)

two oceanic plates colliding to form an island arc

d)

tectonic plates sliding past each other

22.

Which world map shows the locations where most earthquakes and volcanoes occur on Earth?

a)
b)
c)
d)
23.

Earth’s internal heat is the primary source of energy that

a)

warms the lower troposphere

b)

melts glacial ice at lower altitudes

c)

moves the lithospheric plates

d)

pollutes deep groundwater with radioactivity

24.

The cross section represents a pattern of magnetic field reversals preserved in the igneous bedrock of the oceanic crust east of the Mid-Atlantic ridge.


Which cross section best represents the magnetic field pattern west of the Mid-Atlantic ridge?

a)
b)
c)
d)
25.

Which two features are commonly found at divergent plate boundaries?

a)

mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys

b)

wide valleys and deltas

c)

ocean trenches and subduction zones

d)

hot spots and island arcs

26.

When a continental crustal plate collides with an oceanic crustal plate, the continental crust is forced to move over the oceanic crust. What is the primary reason that the continental crust stays on top of the oceanic crust?

a)

Continental crust is less dense

b)

Continental crust deforms less easily

c)

Continental crust melts at higher temperatures.

d)

Continental crust contains more mafic minerals.

27.

According to tectonic plate maps, New York State is presently located

a)

at a convergent plate boundary

b)

above a mantle hot spot

c)

above a mid-ocean ridge

d)

near the center of a large plate

28.

The map below shows California and a section of the San Andreas Fault.

What is the primary geologic process occurring along the San Andreas Fault?

a)

transform movement

b)

spreading movement

c)

subduction

d)

convergence

29.
Which mantle hot spot is located directly below a mid-ocean ridge plate boundary?
a)
Yellowstone
b)
Iceland
c)
Canary Islands
d)
Hawaii
30.

Base your answer to the question on the cross section and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents the distance and age of ocean-floor bedrock found on both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

a)
b)
c)
d)
31.

The diagram represents magnetic patterns of normal and reversed polarity of ocean crust on the west side of a mid-ocean ridge. Letters A, B, C, D, and E represent locations on the seafloor on the east side of the mid-ocean ridge.

Which two locations on the east side of the mid-ocean ridge represent areas of reversed magnetic polarity?

a)

A and B

b)

B and D

c)

C and D

d)

E and A

32.

The Mariana Trench is Earth’s deepest oceanic trench. This trench formed as the Pacific Plate was

a)

overriding the Philippine Plate

b)

overriding the Eurasian Plate

c)

subducting under the Philippine Plate

d)

subducting under the Eurasian Plate

33.

Compared to the thickness and density of the continental crust, the relative thickness and density of Earth’s oceanic crust are

a)

thinner and less dense

b)

thinner and more dense

c)

thicker and less dense

d)

thicker and more dense

34.

Compared to the thickness and density of the continental crust, the relative thickness and density of Earth’s oceanic crust are

a)

thinner and less dense

b)

thinner and more dense

c)

thicker and less dense

d)

thicker and more dense

35.


Base your answer to the question on the cross section, which shows the major surface features of Earth along 25° S latitude between 75° W and 15° E longitude. Points A, B, and C represent locations on Earth’s crust.

Bedrock samples were taken at the mid-ocean ridge and points B and C. Which grid below properly shows the relative age of the bedrock samples between these locations?

a)

b)

c)

d)

36.

Which concept states that most sediments are deposited in layers that are flat and parallel to Earth’s surface?

a)

principle of superposition

b)

cross-cutting relationship

c)

dynamic equilibrium

d)

original horizontality

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