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Plate tectonics

Total questions: 24

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Tectonic plates move quickly.

a)

true

b)

false

2.

There are ____ major tectonic plates.

a)

1

b)

5

c)

7

d)

10

3.

Earth's huge supercontinent that existed millions of years ago.

a)

pangea

b)

panda

c)
4.

Plate tectonics explains the cause of ___.

a)

volcanoes

b)

earthquakes

c)

all of these

5.
What are the puzzle pieces of the Earth's surface called?
a)

tectonic plates

b)

mountains

c)

oceans

6.
What is the outermost layer of the Earth called?
a)

core

b)

mantle

c)

crust

7.
Lava that is still deep inside the earth is called ____________________________.
a)
lava
b)
magma
c)
volcano
d)
earthquake
8.
Earth's plates are....
a)

..constantly moving and changing the face of the Earth

b)

..never moving

c)

..moving rarely and very fast

d)

..move when they feel like it

9.
What was the name given to all the continents when they were joined as one super continent?
a)
Supreme Continent
b)
Eurasia
c)
Plate tectonics
d)
Pangea
10.

Is there a pattern to the locations of earthquakes and volcanoes around the globe?

a)

No, earthquakes and volcanoes are random.

b)

Yes, earthquakes and volcanoes usually occur near the boundaries (edges) of tectonic plates.

c)

Yes, earthquakes and volcanoes usually occur in the middle of tectonic plates.

11.

Tectonic plates:

a)

can move towards each other

b)

can move away from each other

c)

can slide past each other

d)

all of the above

12.

Check all the statements that are true according to the scientific evidence about Pangaea.

a)

Pangaea only formed once.

b)

There are many ways that continents could fit together to form Pangaea.

c)

Pangaea formed more than once.

d)

Similar ancient animal fossils were found on Africa and South America.

e)

Earth's continents used to be part of a super-continent called Pangaea.

13.

Check the true statements.

a)

warmer materials rise

b)

warmer materials sink

c)

cooler materials rise

d)

cooler materials sink

14.
What is Pangaea?
a)
The name of a German Scientist
b)
the name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago
c)
another name for continental drift
d)
the name of an ancient fossil
15.
As you travel from the inner core to the crust, how would temperature, pressure and density of the material change?
a)

The would all increase (more)

b)

They would all decrease (less)

c)

They would stay the same. (no change)  

16.
What are tectonic plates?
a)

biscuits

b)

volcanoes and earthquakes

c)

pieces of crust and upper mantle

17.
What evidence suggests that continents were once joined?
a)

the mountains

b)
the puzzle-like fit of coastlines
18.
The hot, plastic-like layer of Earth, made of magma. 
a)

inner core

b)

mantle

c)

crust

d)

outer core

19.
The dense, solid center of Earth, made of iron and nickel.
a)

inner core

b)

mantle

c)

crust

d)

outer core

20.
The hot, liquid layer of Earth, made of iron and nickel.
a)

inner core

b)

mantle

c)

crust

d)

outer core

21.
The cooler, outer rocky shell of Earth.
a)

inner core

b)

mantle

c)

crust

d)

outer core

22.

The name of the single landmass that began to break apart 200 million years ago.

a)

Antarctica

b)

Africa

c)

Pangaea

d)

Gondwana

e)

Laurasia

23.

About how fast do you think the tectonic plates move?

a)
b)

As fast as students leave school at the end of the day

c)

As fast as your nails grow

d)

As fast as you can run

24.

What do you think happens when two plates converge (collide)?

a)

Mountains form

b)
c)

A trench forms

d)

They change course and move somewhere else