wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Unit 3: The Dynamic Earth

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which describes the theory of plate tectonics?

a)

Earth's surface is one solid piece

b)

Earth's surface is broken into many pieces

c)

Earth is 4.5 billion years old

d)

The oldest rocks are found at the bottom

2.

What does finding similar fossils on different continents suggest?

a)

The fossils were moved by humans

b)

Ancient creatures swam across the ocean

c)

The continents were once joined together

d)

It is just a coincidence

3.

What is created at an oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundary?

a)

Continental volcanic mountains

b)

Rift valley

c)

Folded mountains

d)

Volcanic island arcs

4.

What feature is created by a divergent plate boundary?

a)

Volcanic island arc

b)

mid ocean ridges and new seafloor

c)

mountains with a tall plateau

d)

deep ocean trench

5.

What is created by a hotspot?

a)

Line of volcanic islands

b)

Deep ocean trench

c)

Rift valley

d)

Volcanic mountain range

6.

What occurs at a transform plate boundary?

a)

Two plates move towards each other

b)

Two plates moved away from each other

c)

Two plates slide past each other

7.

What occurs at a convergent plate boundary?

a)

Two plates move towards each other

b)

Two plates moved away from each other

c)

Two plates slide past each other

8.

What occurs at a divergent plate boundary?

a)

Two plates move towards each other

b)

Two plates moved away from each other

c)

Two plates slide past each other

9.

Where are volcanoes most likely to occur?

a)

Divergent boundary

b)

Convergent boundary

c)

Transform boundary

10.

What can the location of volcanoes and earthquakes show you?

a)

Nothing, it's random

b)

Where plate boundaries are

c)

The edges of the continents

d)

Hotspots

11.

Hot spots, like the one that formed the Hawaiian islands

a)

move around

b)

stay in the same place

c)

disappear and reappear

d)

cause earthquakes

12.

What tool is used to detect earthquakes?

a)

Barometer

b)

Global Positioning System

c)

Seismograph

d)

Richter scale

13.

In the diagram of the earth's interior, which part is broken into large pieces called plates?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

14.

In the diagram of the earth's interior, which part drives the movement of the plates?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

15.

What occurs at a subduction zone?

a)

Two plates smash into each other

b)

One plate sinks under the other

c)

Two plates slide by each other

d)

Magma rises in the middle of a plate

16.
This is a diagram of a transform boundary which of the following things do transform boundaries create?
a)
Deep ocean Trench
b)
Volcano
c)
Mountain
d)
Earthquakes
17.
This is a diagram of the Mid Atlantic Ridge. What type of plate boundary is the Mid Atlantic Ridge?
a)
Divergent
b)
Convergent
c)
Transform
d)
What in the World is a Plate Boundary OH MY GOD I NEED TO STUDY!!!
18.

True or False: Because we rarely witness dramatic changes to the Earth, we can conclude that the Earth is not changing very much.

a)

True

b)

False

19.

The type of plate boundary where two plates come together is a .....

a)

Convergent Boundary

b)

Divergent Boundary

c)

Transform Boundary

d)

Plate Boundary

20.

A divergent boundary occurs when plates ....

a)

Pull apart

b)

Come together

c)

Slide past each other

21.

The lithosphere is divided into pieces called ____________, which glide across the asthenosphere.

a)

faults

b)

tectonic plates

c)

earth's surfaces

d)

crust

22.

Scientists study the structure of Earth's interior using information and measurements from

a)

volcanic eruptions

b)

deep-Earth digs

c)

element core samples

d)

seismic wave activity

23.
What is a break in the lithosphere along which movement in an earthquake has first occurred?
a)
Earthquake
b)
Epicenter
c)
Fault
d)
Focus
24.

What geologic features resulted from the collision of the two continental plates?.

a)

VOLCANIC ISLAND ARC

b)

FAULT

c)

MOUNTAIN

d)

EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER

25.

Which of the following is the result of the collision of two oceanic plates?

a)

TRENCH

b)

VOLCANO

c)

RIFT VALLEY

d)

FAULT LINE

26.

Which of the following can we expect to find at a mid-ocean ridge?

a)

RELATIVELY YOUNG ROCKS

b)

REVERSE FAULT

c)

VERY ANCIENT ROCKS

d)

THICK ACCUMULATION OF SEDIMENTS

27.

It is a plate which dives down under a less dense plate during a subduction.

a)

SUBDUCTING PLATE

b)

OCEANIC PLATE

c)

MANTLE

d)

OVERRIDING PLATE

28.

Which of the following is NOT a geologic process that occurs along convergent boundaries?

a)

EARTHQUAKES

b)

MOUNTAIN-BUILDING

c)

TORNADO

d)

VOLCANISM

29.

Which stress causes rocks to be pulled in opposite directions, hence may cause them to stretch?

a)

Tensional stress

b)

Compressional stress

c)

Shear stress

30.

Faults that occur due to tensional stress are called

a)

Normal

b)

Reverse

c)

Thrust

d)

Strike-slip

31.

Factors that influence the strength and deformation of a rock include ___________, pressure, rock type, and time.

a)

stress

b)

flow

c)

temperature

d)

water

32.

Upfolding most often results in

a)

anticline

b)

syncline

c)

monocline

33.

What is deformation?

a)

Process when the rocks break apart or erode.

b)

Process of when rocks melt away.

c)

Process when rocks change shape under pressure.

d)

Process when

34.

What type of stress is happening to these layers of crust?

a)

Compression

b)

Separation

c)

Faulting

d)

Tension

35.
The epicenter of an earthquake is
a)
The point below the surface where rock begins to break and the first motion occurs
b)
The seismic station closest to the earthquake
c)
The place where the greatest damage occurs
d)
The point on the surface directly above the focus
36.
This famous transform fault is located in the western United States creates significant earthquake activity for California
a)
New Madrid
b)
Denali Fault
c)
Ramapo Seismic Zone
d)
San Andreas
37.
The Richter scale measures:
a)
the amount of radon gas released
b)
the movement of plates
c)
the strength of an earthquake
d)
the weight of tectonic plates
38.
Which travels fastest, always being the first detected by seismic stations?
a)
P waves
b)
S waves
39.
What do S (secondary) waves do during an earthquake?
a)
Shake the ground
b)
Cause eruptions
c)
Open cracks in the earth's surface
d)
Create loud noises
40.
Earthquakes under the water can cause _________________________________.
a)
tornadoes
b)
tsunamis
c)
lightening
d)
hailstorms
41.
What causes the buildup of energy that is released at a later time when an earthquake occurs?
a)
Heat from earth's core slowly melts the rocks found in the Earth's crust
b)
Nuclear reactions in Earth's lower crust release electromagnetic waves
c)
Jagged edges along a fault generate friction (heat) between two moving plates
d)
According to the elastic rebound theory, rocks bend until their strength is exceeded.
42.
Magma that reaches the surface is called:
a)
Vent
b)
Hot spot
c)
Lava
d)
Cinders
43.
The more silica that magma contains...
a)
the thicker the magma
b)
the thinner the magma
c)
the higher the viscosity
d)
the runnier the magma
44.
Shield volcanoes have:
a)
gently sloping sides
b)
a steep cone shape
c)
moderately sized sides
d)
long cracks along plate boundaries
45.
Inside a volcano, magma collects in a pocket called a:
a)
caldera
b)
pipe
c)
magma chamber
d)
vent
46.
The name of a volcano that erupted in Washington State in 1980.
a)
Mt. Fuji
b)
Old Faithful
c)
Mt. St. Helens
d)
Mt. Pinatubo
47.
Felsic (light-colored) magma has a...
a)
Low silica content
b)
High silica content
48.
An opening through which the lava flows is called:
a)
crater
b)
caldera
c)
vent
d)
pipe
49.
This type of volcano has explosive eruptions that result in massive amounts of tephra (ash).
a)
Shield volcano
b)
Composite / Stratovolcano
c)
Cinder cone
d)
Fissure volcano
50.
This common type of volcano is made up of alternating layers of ash and lava.
a)
Shield volcano
b)
Composite / Stratovolcano
c)
Cinder cone
d)
Fissure volcano