Plate Tectonics
Practice Test
1.
Who first proposed the theory of continental drift?
a.
Alfred Wegener
b.
Galileo Galilee
c.
Albert Einstein
d.
Harry Hess
Hint
2.
What does plate tectonics cause?
a.
forms ocean basins
b.
causes volcanoes
c.
forms mountains
d.
all answers are correct
Hint
3.
How can crust disappear at the edge of a boundary?
a.
Gravity is pulling it down.
b.
because new crust is being added to the other edge of the boundary
c.
The other edge of the boundary is being pulled into Earth's core.
d.
It is too dense and is sinking into Earth.
Hint
4.
How can Earth's plates move?
a.
They only converge or diverge.
b.
They can collide, pull apart, or slide against each other.
c.
They only can move toward each other.
d.
They only collide or slide along each other.
Hint
5.
What is a transform boundary?
a.
A transform boundary is when two plates slide past one another.
b.
A transform boundary is when two plates collide.
c.
A transform boundary is when two plates move toward each other.
d.
A transform boundary is when two plates pull away from each other.
Hint
6.
Do two colliding continental plates always cause volcanoes?
a.
Yes, subduction always occurs when continental plates collide.
b.
No, usually no subduction occurs when continental plates collide.
c.
Yes, subduction always occurs when oceanic plates collide.
d.
No, earthquakes always occur when two continental plates collide.
Hint
7.
How do scientists use sound waves to figure out the shape of the ocean floor?
a.
The less time it takes a sound wave to return to the ship, the deeper the water is.
b.
The longer it takes a sound wave to return to the ship, the more shallow the water is.
c.
The longer it takes a sound wave to return to the ship, the colder the water is.
d.
The longer it takes a sound wave to return to the ship, the deeper the water is.
Hint
8.
What clue supported the continental drift theory?
a.
a puzzle-like fit of all the continents
b.
all answers are correct
c.
Similar rock structures have been found on different continents.
d.
Fossils of animals have been found on continents separated by oceans.
Hint
9.
How does the
Mesosaurus
fossil evidence support the continental drift theory?
a.
because it's unlikely that the
Mesosaurus
existed on both continents.
b.
because the
Mesosaurus
lived millions of years ago, when scientists believe the continents began to drift
c.
because it's unlikely that the
Mesosaurus
could swim between continents
d.
The
Mesosaurus
fossil evidence does not support the continental drift theory. It proves it wrong.
Hint
10.
What are strike-slip faults?
a.
a boundary where rocks move in the same directions at the same rate
b.
a boundary where rocks on opposite sides of the fault move in opposite or the same directions at different rates
c.
a boundary where rocks on the same side of the fault move in the same direction, but at different rates
d.
a boundary where rocks in the fault never move
Hint
11.
A divergent boundary is a boundary between two plates that __________.
a.
converge
b.
move toward each other
c.
move away from each other
d.
slide along each other
Hint
12.
What is a magnetic field reversal?
a.
when Earth's magnetic field leaves the south pole and enters the north pole
b.
when Earth's magnetic field suddenly runs east/west instead of south/north
c.
when Earth's magnetic field leaves the north pole and enters the south pole
d.
when Earth's magnetic field suddenly disappears for short periods of time
Hint
13.
What is Pangaea?
a.
the large landmass that all continents are currently forming
b.
the largest fault found on Earth
c.
Earth's inner core
d.
the large landmass in which all continents once were connected
Hint
14.
Why was the discovery of no rocks older than 2 billion years old on the ocean floor so important?
a.
This evidence proved that new seafloor features are constantly being added due to continental drift.
b.
This evidence proved that new seafloor features are constantly being added due to reversals of Earth's magnetic field.
c.
This evidence proved that new seafloor features are constantly being added due to seafloor spreading.
d.
This evidence proved that the rocks on the seafloor were older than rocks on continents.
Hint
15.
What is the lithosphere?
a.
the upper part of the mantle
b.
the plates that make up the crust
c.
large, flat stones sitting on top of malleable magma
d.
the plates that make up the crust and the upper part of the mantle
Hint
16.
What happens when an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate?
a.
The less dense oceanic plate slides under the denser continental plate.
b.
The denser oceanic plate slides under the less dense continental plate.
c.
The denser oceanic plate slides on top of the less dense continental plate.
d.
The less dense oceanic plate slides past the denser continental plate.
Hint
17.
What do scientists believe is the force behind the plate tectonics theory?
a.
the movement of the planets
b.
the Sun's gravity
c.
gravity slab pull
d.
convection currents
Hint
18.
What tool does a scientist use to detect magnetic fields?
a.
a thermometer
b.
a magnetometer
c.
a magnetogram
d.
a fieldometer
Hint
19.
What evidence proved that South America, Africa, India, and Australia were once covered by glaciers?
a.
cold climates
b.
enormous valleys formed by glaciers
c.
glacial deposits and rock surfaces scarred by glaciers
d.
leftover portions of glaciers
Hint
20.
What is the difference between normal faults and rift valleys?
a.
Rift valleys sometimes occur near normal faults, but their formation is not related to these faults.
b.
Normal faults occur in the northern hemisphere, but rift valleys only occur in the southern hemisphere.
c.
Rift valleys are formed from normal faults.
d.
Rift valley formation has nothing to do with normal faults.
Hint
