Plate Tectonics: Uncover the Forces Shaping Earth's Surface

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Hotspot

Answer

Convergent boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Question 2

Which device is NOT typically used to measure earthquake ground motion?

Accepted Answer

Barometer

Answer

Seismograph

Answer

Accelerograph

Answer

Tiltmeter

Question 3

Which of the following is a type of plate boundary where plates move away from each other?

Accepted Answer

Divergent

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Transform

Answer

Subduction

Question 4

What type of movement occurs at a convergent plate boundary where one plate slides beneath another?

Accepted Answer

Plates move towards each other and one subducts beneath the other

Answer

Plates move away from each other

Answer

Plates slide past each other

Answer

Plates move vertically up and down

Question 5

What is the name of the supercontinent that existed approximately 335 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Atlantis

Question 6

What is the process by which oceanic crust is recycled back into the mantle?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Accretion

Answer

Mountain building

Answer

Erosion

Question 7

Which of the following geological features is formed at a divergent plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Mid-ocean ridges

Answer

Volcanoes

Answer

Oceanic trenches

Answer

Mountains

Question 8

According to the theory of plate tectonics, what is the lithosphere?

Accepted Answer

A semi-solid, ductile layer of the Earth's crust and upper mantle

Answer

A rigid, solid layer of the Earth's crust

Answer

A molten, liquid layer of the Earth's mantle

Answer

A gaseous, expansive layer of the Earth's atmosphere

Question 9

Which of the following is a driving force of plate movement?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents within the mantle

Answer

Earth's rotation

Answer

Gravitational pull of the sun

Answer

Wind patterns in the atmosphere

Question 10

What is the term for the region where two tectonic plates interact and meet?

Accepted Answer

Plate boundary

Answer

Fault line

Answer

Subduction zone

Answer

Rift zone

Question 11

What is the name of the process that creates new oceanic crust at a divergent boundary?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Obduction

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Collision

Question 12

Which of the following forces drives plate movement?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the Earth's mantle

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Gravitational pull of the moon

Answer

Wind patterns

Question 13

Which type of geological feature can result from the convergence of two continental plates?

Accepted Answer

Mountain range

Answer

Oceanic trench

Answer

Volcanic arc

Answer

Mid-ocean ridge

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a transform fault?

Accepted Answer

San Andreas Fault

Answer

Marianas Trench

Answer

Himalayan Mountains

Answer

Yellowstone National Park

Question 15

What was the name of the supercontinent that existed approximately 200 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Rodinia

Question 16

What is the difference between seismic and aseismic plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Seismic boundaries produce earthquakes, while aseismic boundaries do not.

Answer

Aseismic boundaries produce earthquakes, while seismic boundaries do not.

Answer

There is no difference between seismic and aseismic plate boundaries.

Answer

Seismic boundaries are found on land, while aseismic boundaries are found in the ocean.

Question 17

What instrument is used to measure the magnitude and duration of earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

Seismograph

Answer

Barometer

Answer

Anemometer

Answer

Thermometer

Question 18

Which two types of plate movement are responsible for shaping geological features? Describe how each type of movement contributes to the formation of these features.

Accepted Answer

Convergent and Divergent

Answer

Transform and Reverse

Answer

Normal and Thrust

Answer

Subduction and Accretion

Question 19

At which type of plate boundary do two plates move away from each other, creating new oceanic crust?

Accepted Answer

Divergent

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Transform

Answer

Collision

Question 20

What is the primary driving force behind plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Heat from Earth's core

Answer

Gravity

Answer

Magnetic fields

Answer

Tides

Question 21

Which of the following faults is an example of a transform boundary?

Accepted Answer

San Andreas Fault

Answer

Himalayan Fault

Answer

Alpine Fault

Answer

Mariana Trench

Question 22

What is the process by which one tectonic plate slides beneath another, causing it to sink into the mantle?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Collision

Answer

Rift formation

Answer

Obduction

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a potential consequence of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Global warming

Answer

Earthquakes

Answer

Volcanic eruptions

Answer

Tsunamis

Question 24

How does the theory of plate tectonics explain the formation of mountain ranges?

Accepted Answer

Collision and compression of continental plates

Answer

Uplift of land due to mantle convection

Answer

Folding and erosion of sedimentary rock

Answer

Volcanic eruptions and lava flows

Question 25

Which type of plate boundary forms when two plates move apart, creating new crust?

Accepted Answer

Divergent

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Transform

Answer

Subduction

Question 26

What is the process by which oceanic crust is pulled back into the mantle and recycled?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Mountain building

Answer

Erosion

Question 27

What is the primary force driving the movement of tectonic plates?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the mantle

Answer

Gravity

Answer

Rotation of the Earth

Answer

Tidal forces

Question 28

What type of crust is formed at convergent plate boundaries when continental crust collides with oceanic crust?

Accepted Answer

Mixed

Answer

Continental

Answer

Oceanic

Answer

Volcanic

Question 29

What was the name of the supercontinent that existed approximately 335 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangea

Answer

Rodinia

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Question 30

Which technology is primarily used to measure the movement of tectonic plates over time?

Accepted Answer

GPS

Answer

Seismometer

Answer

Thermometer

Answer

Barometer

Question 31

What is a key characteristic of the Pacific Ring of Fire?

Accepted Answer

It is a region with frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Answer

It is the boundary between two major tectonic plates.

Answer

It is home to the world's highest mountains.

Answer

It has a high concentration of oil reserves.

Question 32

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at divergent boundaries is known as:

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Mountain building

Answer

Continental drift

Question 33

Which of the following major mountain ranges was formed by the collision and uplift of two or more continental plates?

Accepted Answer

Himalayas

Answer

Andes

Answer

Alps

Answer

Rocky Mountains

Question 34

Which of the following instruments is primarily used to measure and record the magnitude and location of earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

Seismograph

Answer

Thermometer

Answer

Barometer

Answer

Anemometer

Question 35

The outermost, rigid layer of the Earth that is composed primarily of the crust and upper mantle is called the:

Accepted Answer

Lithosphere

Answer

Asthenosphere

Answer

Mesosphere

Answer

Core

Question 36

Which of the following types of volcanic eruptions is characterized by explosive eruptions, ash clouds, and viscous lava?

Accepted Answer

Vulcanian

Answer

Hawaiian

Answer

Strombolian

Answer

Pelean

Question 37

The scientific theory that explains the movement of Earth's tectonic plates and the formation of geological features was first proposed in the:

Accepted Answer

20th century

Answer

19th century

Answer

21st century

Answer

18th century

Question 38

Which of the following types of faults occurs when rocks on either side of the fault move horizontally in opposite directions?

Accepted Answer

Strike-slip fault

Answer

Normal fault

Answer

Reverse fault

Answer

Thrust fault

Question 39

The primary driving force behind plate tectonics is believed to be:

Accepted Answer

Convection currents within the Earth's mantle

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Gravitational pull of the moon

Answer

Wind patterns

Question 40

The presence of similar fossil species on continents now separated by vast oceans supports the theory of plate tectonics. How does this evidence contribute to our understanding of Earth's history?

Accepted Answer

These fossils suggest that the continents were once joined, allowing species to spread across them.

Answer

The fossils indicate that Earth's land and water distribution has always been the same.

Answer

The presence of similar fossils suggests that the climate has always been the same on all continents.

Answer

Similarities between fossils are coincidental and don't provide evidence for plate tectonics.

Question 41

Besides mantle convection, what other major force contributes to plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Ridge push

Answer

Gravitational pull of the Moon

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Atmospheric circulation

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT a type of plate boundary commonly found along Earth's crust?

Accepted Answer

Conservative boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Question 43

What is the geological process by which new oceanic crust is formed at divergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Collision

Answer

Obduction

Question 44

Which of the following geological features is commonly associated with convergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Trenches

Answer

Mid-ocean ridges

Answer

Fracture zones

Answer

Iceland

Question 45

What is the term for a large, rigid segment of the Earth's crust that moves as a single unit?

Accepted Answer

Plate

Answer

Mantle

Answer

Core

Answer

Asthenosphere

Question 46

Which of the following is considered the largest tectonic plate on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Pacific Plate

Answer

Eurasian Plate

Answer

North American Plate

Answer

Antarctic Plate

Question 47

What is the name of the supercontinent that is believed to have existed approximately 200 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Rodinia

Question 48

How do plates interact at convergent boundaries when one plate is oceanic and the other is continental?

Accepted Answer

Oceanic plate subducts beneath the continental plate

Answer

Continental plate subducts beneath the oceanic plate

Answer

Plates slide past each other

Answer

Plates collide and form mountain ranges

Question 49

Which of the following is **not** a type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Passive

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Divergent

Answer

Transform

Question 50

When two plates move towards each other, which type of plate boundary is formed?

Accepted Answer

Convergent

Answer

Divergent

Answer

Transform

Question 51

Which of the following is **not** a result of convergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Rift valley formation

Answer

Mountain formation

Answer

Earthquake generation

Answer

Volcanism

Question 52

What type of rock is typically formed at divergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Igneous

Answer

Metamorphic

Answer

Sedimentary

Question 53

Which of the following is a major feature associated with transform plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Fault lines

Answer

Mountain ranges

Answer

Volcanic arcs

Question 54

What is the primary force that drives plate movement?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents

Answer

Gravitational pull

Answer

Wind

Answer

Solar radiation

Question 55

Which of the following is **not** a benefit of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Prevention of natural disasters

Answer

Formation of new land

Answer

Recycling of oceanic crust

Answer

Regulation of Earth's temperature

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT a type of plate boundary where two plates interact?

Accepted Answer

Parallel

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Divergent

Answer

Transform

Question 57

What process results in the formation of new oceanic crust?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Volcanism

Answer

Erosion

Question 58

What was the name of the supercontinent that existed before the formation of modern continents?

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Pangea Ultima

Question 59

Which type of rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies below the Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

Igneous

Answer

Metamorphic

Answer

Sedimentary

Answer

Extrusive

Question 60

What is the instrument called that is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

Seismograph

Answer

Barometer

Answer

Anemometer

Answer

Thermometer

Question 61

What is the primary driving force behind plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the mantle

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Gravitational pull of the moon

Answer

Rotation of the Earth

Question 62

What is the term for the process by which oceanic crust is recycled back into the mantle?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Accretion

Answer

Metamorphism

Answer

Volcanism