wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Sci 8 Plate Tectonics

Total questions: 54

Worksheet time: 36mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Mountains form from....
a)
Plates sliding past one another
b)
collision of plates
c)
plates moving away from each other
d)
none of these
2.
Earth's plates are....
a)
Constantly moving and changing the face of the Earth
b)
Never moved
c)
Move seldom and very fast
d)
move when they feel like it
3.
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
4.

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 of tectonic plates.

c)

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

d)

No, earthquakes and volcanoes usually occur under water.

5.

Most earthquakes tend to occur at which location?

a)

The central regions of very large continents

b)

Groups of islands farthest from any continents

c)

The boundaries between continents and oceans

d)

The steep slopes of the very oldest mountains

6.

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

7.

Who is the scientist who proposed Continental Drift Theory?

a)
Albert Einstein
b)
Alfred Wegener
c)
Isaac Newton
d)
John Dalton
8.

Alfred Wegener named his single supercontinent ____________, which means "all Earth" in ancient Greek.

a)

Pandora

b)

Gandowandaland

c)

Pangea

d)

Percia

9.
What was Wegener's hypothesis called?
a)

The Theory of Pangea 

b)

The Theory of Moving Continents

c)

The Theory of Continental Drift

d)

The Theory of Techtonic Plates

10.

Most geologists think that the movement of Earth's tectonic plates is caused by

a)

the rotation of the Earth.

b)

the Earth's magnetic field.

c)

subduction.

d)

convection currents.

11.
Associated with transform boundaries.
a)
Volcanoes
b)
mountains
c)
trenches
d)
earthquakes
12.
A location where two tectonic plates collide is known as a _________ boundary.
a)
Convergent
b)
Divergent
c)
Transform
d)
Spreading
13.

Which layer of Earth flows slowly and causes the crust to move?

a)

Crust

b)

Mantle

c)

Inner Core

d)

Outer core

14.

What is the correct order (starting from the surface) of Earth’s layers?

a)

crust, outer core, inner core, mantle

b)

mantle, outer core, inner core, crust

c)

crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

d)

outer core, inner core, crust, mantle

15.
What is an earthquake?
a)
When the earth causes an upward thrust in the epicenter.
b)
When the earth moves up and down along the ocean floor.
c)

When tectonic plates slide against each other causing the earth to move. 

d)
None of the above
16.

Subduction means.....

a)

one plate goes under another plate

b)

two plates slide past each other

c)

two plate collide and form folded mountains

17.

Sea-floor spreading explains how.....

a)

new crust is created at a divergent boundary

b)

volcanoes are formed on continents

c)

deep sea trenches are formed

18.

An opening on the Earth's crust through which hot molten rock flows out from deep inside the Earth.

a)

Volcano

b)

Fault line

c)

Fold

d)

Crater

19.
What type of event will occur at this boundary?
a)
Earthquake
b)
Volcano Eruption
c)
Tornado
d)
Mountain Building
20.
What type of plate boundary is this?
a)
Plate
b)
Divergent
c)
Convergent
d)
Transform
21.
A divergent boundary occurs when plates ....
a)
Pull apart
b)
Come together
c)
Slide past each other
d)
subducting
22.
What geologic feature/event would you most likely to find at a divergent boundary between two pieces of oceanic crust?
a)
Rift Valley
b)
Mid-Ocean Ridge
c)
Island Arc
d)
Flat land
23.
The core is mostly made up mostly of which elements?
a)
Oxygen and Silicon
b)
Silicon and Magnesium
c)
Nickel and Iron
d)
Iron and Magnesium
24.
How are scientist able to estimate the thickness of each layer of the Earth?By studying __________
a)
 radio waves
b)
sonar waves
c)
laser waves
d)
seismic waves
25.
This is the plastic layer of the mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move.
a)
Lithosphere
b)
Asthenosphere
c)
Mesosphere
d)
Crust
26.
This layer is divided into pieces called tectonic plates.
a)
Mesosphere
b)
Asthenosphere
c)
Mantle
d)
Lithosphere
27.
Which piece of evidence did Wegener use to prove continental drift?
a)
The shape of the continents
b)
Similar fossils found on separate continents
c)
Tree fossils found in odd places
d)
All of the above
28.

Which boundary type creates sea floor spreading?

a)

divergent

b)

convergent

c)

transform

29.

Which type of boundary creates mid ocean ridges?

a)

convergent

b)

divergent

c)

transform

30.

What kind of boundary creates a fault?

a)

divergent

b)

convergent

c)

transform

31.

What causes the tectonic plates to move?

a)

They are drifting

b)

The convection currents in the Earth's mantle

c)

The conduction currents in the Earth's mantle

d)

Earth's radiation

32.

Where is sea floor the YOUNGEST?

a)

near the mid ocean ridges

b)

Far way from the mid ocean ridges

33.

new crust forms when..

a)

two plates spread apart and magma rises up

b)

two plates come together and form new land

c)

two plates scrape past each other

34.

Where is sea floor the oldest?

a)

close to the mid ocean ridge

b)

in the middle of the mid ocean ridge

c)

far away from the mid ocean ridge

35.

What kind of boundary is shown here?

a)

divergent

b)

transform

c)

convergent

36.

What kind of boundary is shown here?

a)

convergent

b)

divergent

c)

transform

37.

What kind of boundary is shown here?

a)

divergent

b)

convergent

c)

transform

38.

What is happening here?

a)

divergent boundary, subduction

b)

convergent boundary, volcano

c)

transform boundary, trench

39.

What natural hazard occurs when plates scrape and slide past each other?

a)

Tornadoes

b)

Tsunamis

c)

Hurricanes

d)

Earthquakes

40.

Convergent plates move ________ each other.

a)

toward

b)

away from

41.
Once magma reaches the earth's surface it is called.....
a)
Silica
b)
Rock
c)
lava
42.
Approximately 70% of the world's composite volcanoes are located around the Pacific Ocean in a region called the ____________. 
a)
Ring of Fire
b)
Volcano Ring
c)
Nucleus of Volcanoes
d)
Center of Fire
43.

What is magma?

a)

pieces of the Earth's crust

b)

molten rock inside of a volcano

c)

small rock

d)

plates that meet

44.
Is the outer core a liquid or solid?
a)
liquid
b)
solid
45.
What is the definition of dormant?
a)
sleeping
b)
extinct
c)
active
d)
invisible
46.

Definition of a volcano

a)

an opening in the Earth's crust

b)

crater

c)

vent

d)

mantle

47.

What type of volcano is this

a)

composite volcano

b)

shield volcano

c)

cinder cone volcano

48.

When lava runs easily and flows out in thin layers it makes a

a)

composite volcano

b)

shield volcano

c)

cinder cone volcano

49.

If a volcano can not erupt any more it is called

a)

active

b)

inactive

c)

dormant

d)

extinct

50.

The Hawaiian Islands were formed

a)

above a divergent fault

b)

above a convergent fault

c)

above a strike-slip fault

d)

above a hotspot in the middle of a plate

51.
What is the top layer of the Earth's surface called? 
a)
Mantle
b)
Innercore
c)
Outercore
d)
Crust
52.
What are the two types of crust?
a)
continental and oceanic
b)
ocean and basin
c)
lower and upper
d)
thick and thin
53.
What is Pangaea?
a)
the name of a German scientist
b)
the name of the super-continent that existed millions of years ago
c)
another name for continental drift
d)
the name of an ancient fossil
54.
Which of the following is evidence that supports continental drift?
a)
the presence of penguins at both the equator and Antarctica
b)
fossils of the same plant have been found on several continents
c)
the presence of glacial features in Antarctica
d)
the presence of volcanic rock in Antarctica