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Cycle 10 Plate Tectonics

Total questions: 11

Worksheet time: 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Movement along plate boundaries produces…

a)

tides

b)

fronts

c)

earthquakes

d)

hurricanes

2.

Which of the following is TRUE about the movement of continents?

a)

Continents do not move

b)

Continents move separately from the plates

c)

Continents move with their plate

d)

Continents moved in the past but are not moving now

3.

Which of the following represents how three of Earth’s plates fit together?

a)

continents but not ocean basins

b)

ocean basins but not continents

c)

both ocean basins and continents

d)

neither ocean basins and continents

4.

Where does seafloor spreading occur?

a)

at ocean trenches

b)

at mid-ocean ridges

c)

at the San Andreas fault

d)

at the edge of an ocean basin

5.

Which of the following describes a reasonable movement of Earth’s plates?

a)

The plates do not move.

b)

The plates move 1 - 10 centimeters (0.4 - 4 inches) per year.

c)

The plates move 1 - 10 meters (3 - 30 feet) per year.

d)

The plates move 1 - 10 kilometers (0.6 - 6 miles) per year.

6.

What does plate tectonic theory predict about the distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes?

a)

They should occur primarily in deep ocean basins

b)

They should only occur along continental margins

c)

They should occur primarily along plate boundaries

d)

They should be evenly distributed throughout the Earth

7.

What happens when an oceanic part of one plate collides with the continental part of another plate?

a)

The continental part is subducted beneath the oceanic part

b)

The collision of the plates stopped their motions completely

c)

The oceanic part is subducted beneath the continental part

d)

The oceanic part is not subducted but was broken into small pieces

8.

Seafloor spreading provides evidence of which of the following Earth processes?

a)

erosion of coastlines

b)

weathering of mountains

c)

movement of tectonic plates

d)

formation of sedimentary rocks

9.

Which of the following are part of Earth’s tectonic plates?

a)

continents but not ocean basins

b)

ocean basins but not continents

c)

both ocean basins and continents

d)

neither ocean basins and continents

10.

Which of the following statements best explains why earthquakes occur more frequently in California than in Pennsylvania?

a)

California is located on a continental plate, but Pennsylvania is not

b)

The rock under California is soft, but the rock under Pennsylvania is hard

c)

California is located on the boundary of two tectonic plates, but Pennsylvania is not

d)

The rock found in California is igneous, but the rock found in Pennsylvania is

e)

sedimentary

11.

During sea floor spreading, long volcanic ridges form because ...

a)

less dense, hot magma moves to the surface.

b)

underwater earthquakes lift the sea floor into long ridge.

c)

sediments are deposited where the floor spreads, building ridges.

d)

ocean water pushes down on the surrounding sea floor, pushing up ridges.