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WorksheetsPlate Tectonics
Total questions: 27
Worksheet time: 14mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
According to Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift,
a)
Earth's surface is made up of seven major landmasses
b)
the continents DO NOT move.
c)
Earth is slowly cooling and shrinking.
d)
the continents were once joined together in a single landmass and have since drifted apart
2.
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
3.
Which type of evidence was NOT used by Alfred Wegener to support his continental drift hypothesis?
a)
evidence from landforms
b)
evidence from fossils
c)
evidence from human remains
d)
evidence from climate
4.
Most geologists rejected Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift because...
a)
they were afraid of a new idea.
b)
Wegener was interested in what Earth was like millions of year ago.
c)
Wegener used several different types of evidence to support his hypothesis.
d)
Wegener could not identify the force that could move the continents.
5.
In sea-floor spreading, molten material rises from the mantle and erupts
a)
along the edges of all the continents
b)
along mid ocean ridges
c)
in deep ocean trenches
d)
at the north and south poles
6.
How did scientists discover that rocks farther away from the mid ocean ridge were older than those near it?
a)
by observing eruptions of molten material on the sea floor
b)
by mapping rocks on the sea floor using sonar
c)
by determing the age of rock samples obtained by drilling on the sea floor
d)
by measuring how fast sea floor spreading occurs
7.
Old oceanic crust is more dense than new oceanic crust because it is
a)
hot.
b)
moving toward a deep ocean trench
c)
cool.
d)
closer to the mid ocean ridge
8.
Most geologists think that the movement of Earth's plates is caused by
a)
conduction
b)
earthquakes
c)
convection currents in the mantle
d)
Earth's magnetic field.
9.
The geological theory that states that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in costant, slow motion is the theory of
a)
subduction
b)
plate tectonics
c)
deep ocean trenches
d)
sea floor spreading
10.
The process by which the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep ocean trench and back into the mantle is known as
a)
convection
b)
continental drift
c)
subduction
d)
conduction
11.
A place where two plates slip past each other, moving in opposite directions, is known as a
a)
transform boundary
b)
divergent boundary
c)
convergent boundary
d)
rift valley
12.
A rift valley forms at a
a)
convergent plate boundary
b)
divergent plate boundary
c)
transform boundary
d)
deep ocean trench
13.
Scientists think that convection currents flow in Earth's
a)
continents
b)
mantle
c)
lithosphere
d)
inner core
14.
A collision between two pieces of continental crust at a converging boundary produces a
a)
mid ocean ridge
b)
deep ocean trench
c)
rift valley
d)
mountain range
15.
Mid ocean ridges are
a)
found in all of Earth's oceans
b)
found only in the Pacific Ocean
c)
located mostly along coastlines
d)
long deep ocean trenches
16.
The place where two plates come together is known as a
a)
transform boundary
b)
divergent boundary
c)
convergent boundary
d)
rift valley
17.
Fossils of a particular animal species have been found in both southern Africa and South America but nowhere else. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY the reason why?
a)
The fossils evolved into different organisms
b)
The climate changed and became much colder.
c)
In the past, Africa and South America were part of the same continent
d)
In the future, Africa and South America will be part of the same continent.
18.
The average density of one of the continental crusts is 2.8 g/cm3 and the average density of the oceanic crusts is 3.2 g/cm3. If these two plates come together, what could be expected to happen?
a)
Two plates would push apart and form a rift zone.
b)
The oceanic plate would rise up over the continental plate
c)
The oceanic plate would be pushed under the continental plate
d)
The two plates would meet head on and rise up to form mountains.
19.
What is the primary cause of volcanoes and earthquakes?
a)
crustal plate movements
b)
Earth's gravitational force
c)
higher than usual tides
d)
solar magnetic storms
20.
The process of sea floor spreading occurs at what kind of plate boundary?
a)
divergent plate boundary
b)
convergent plate boundary
c)
transform plate boundary
d)
both convergent and divergent plate boundaries
21.
Which type of plate boundaries occur at X?
a)
Divergent
b)
convergent
c)
transform
d)
subducting
22.
What feature occurs at Y?
a)
mid-ocean ridge
b)
deep ocean trench
c)
hot spot
d)
rift
23.
What is happening at Z?
a)
mid-ocean ridge
b)
subduction zone
c)
transform boundary
d)
sea floor spreading
24.
Using the picture, what plate is more dense, plate B or plate C?
a)
both plates are the same
b)
we can not tell
c)
Plate C
d)
Plate B
25.
Which feature occurs at X?
a)
mid ocean ridge
b)
deep ocean trench
c)
hot spot
d)
island arc
26.
Why does cooler material sink while warmer material rises?
a)
Cooler material is more dense.
b)
Hot material is more dense.
27.
Assume tht the total surface area of earth is not changing. If new material is being produced at one plate boundary, what would be happening at another plate boundary?
a)
New material would be added again.
b)
Old crust would be destroyed by subduction.
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