WorksheetsPlate Movement (Theories)
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Who proposed the Continental Drift Theory?
Alfred Wegener
Harry Hess
Robert Dietz
Charles Darwin
What layer of the earth serves as a heat source that initiates the formation of convection currents?
crust
mantle
lithosphere
core
Which of the following sequence correctly illustrates the progression of theories explaining why tectonic plates move?
Seafloor Spreading → Continental Drift → Convection Currents →
Earth’s Interior Layers → Plate Tectonics Theory
Earth’s Interior Layers → Convection Currents → Seafloor Spreading → Continental Drift → Plate Tectonics Theory
Continental Drift → Seafloor Spreading → Convection Currents → Earth’s Interior Layer → Plate Tectonics Theory
Convection Currents → Earth’s Interior Layers → Continental Drift → Seafloor Spreading → Plate Tectonics Theory
Which of the following is a mechanical layer of the Earth?
crust
mantle
lithosphere
core
What is the name of the singular landmass that once existed some 250 million years ago?
Eurasia
Gondwanaland
Laurasia
Pangaea
Who proposed the theory of seafloor spreading?
I. Alfred Wegener
II. Harry Hess
III. Robert Dietz
I only
I and II only
II and III only
I, II and III
Why was the theory of continental drift not accepted by scientists despite of numerous evidences that support it?
It was not able to provide an explanation why the continents move.
The theory required advanced concepts inaccessible during the time.
The scientist who proposed the theory did not have a good reputation.
A majority of the presented evidence were found out to be fabrications.
How do oceans get wider according to the seafloor spreading theory? When magma comes out of the ocean ridge, it ____________________________________.
pushes the old crust upwards increasing the thickness of the crust
melts the old crust creating a heat source which boils away the ocean water
melts the old crust creating a trench which causes the ocean to increase its water capacity
pushes either side of ridge away from the ridge pushing the ocean floor apart while creating new crustal material
Materials in the mantle move via convection currents. Which of the following explains how a convection current is generated?
The mantle is squeezed between the crust and the core. The heat generated from this enables convection currents to flow.
Tectonic plates are moving. As they move, they produce friction which creates heat. This heat pushes the flow of convection currents.
The core of the earth is much hotter than the mantle. The heat from the core flows towards the mantle fueling the convection currents.
Heat from the sun is absorbed by the Earth’s internal layers. This constant flow of heat from the sun triggers the movement of mantle materials.
Which of the following was not used by Alfred Wegener as evidence for continental drift?
Similar rock formations on different continents
Fossil distribution across continents
GPS measurements of plate movement
The fit of continental coastlines
The discovery of mid-ocean ridges provided strong evidence for which theory?
Seafloor Spreading
Convection Currents
Catastrophism
Internal Structure of the Earth
What is the name of the process where new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges?
Subduction
Seafloor Spreading
Mantle Convection
Continental Drift
What is the function of the Earth’s core in sustaining convection currents in the mantle?
Nothing. The core does not have a part in creating convection currents.
It absorbs all the heat generated by the movement of the currents.
The core serves as the heat source that initiates convection currents.
It counters the movement of the convection current to make them stable.
Why are there convection currents in the mantle? There are convection currents in the mantle because __________________________.
hotter materials at the deeper mantle float up while cooler materials sink down
cooler materials at the deeper mantle float up while hotter materials sink down
the rotation of the earth around its axis disturbs the magma in the layer
moving lithospheric plates drag the magma below it to move
What were the names of the two supercontinents that formed when Pangaea broke off into two?
Gondwanaland and Laurasia
Laurasia and Eurasia
Gondwanaland and Eurasia
Laurasia and Tethys
ate each statement below. Which of is TRUE about the plate tectonic theory?
It is not compatible with the concepts proposed by continental drift, seafloor spreading, convection currents and internal structure of the Earth.
This theory evolved from the concepts proposed by continental drift, seafloor spreading, convection currents and internal structure of the Earth.
Plate tectonic theory completely disproves all the concepts proposed by both the continental drift theory and the seafloor spreading theory.
It is the earlier theory from which continental drift theory and seafloor spreading theory was derived from.
Why is the asthenosphere important in the context of the theory of plate tectonics?
Asthenosphere heats up the mantle and the core.
This layer prevents the lithosphere from moving too fast.
The asthenosphere prevents the lithosphere from melting.
Fluid-like nature of this layer enables lithospheric plates to move.
Which theory was proposed by Harry Hess and Robert Dietz?
continental drift theory
seafloor spreading theory
theory of convection currents
theory of the internal structure of the Earth
Hot, less dense mantle material rises while cooler, denser material sinks.
TRUE
FALSE
Mantle convection occurs in the lithosphere.
TRUE
FALSE
