Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics

What is the primary concept behind continental drift?

Which geological feature is formed from the collision of two ocean plates?

What causes the Himalayas to continue growing?

What landform is produced when tectonic plates separate?

Which example illustrates the collision of ocean and continental plates?

What type of landforms form as a result of colliding continental plates?

What is a characteristic of ocean trenches?

Which of the following best describes the movement of Earth's tectonic plates?

Continental Movement

Earth's tectonic plates move slowly, up to several inches per year
Continents are part of these plates
Continents have travelled great distances, over millions of years
This is known as continental drift
Alfred Wegener first developed theory of continental drift
Wegener observed similarities in coastlines of continents
Example: western Africa and Eastern South America
Continents are still moving; some collide, others separate, others slide past
This movement shapes Earth's landforms

Plate Collisions

Collisions create different landforms.
Example landforms: ocean trenches, mountain ranges.
Two ocean plates colliding: one plate pushes under the other
This creates deep valleys in the ocean floor (ocean trenches)
Example: Pacific Plate under other plates, creating Mariana Trench
Two continental plates colliding: builds up mountains
Example: Himalayas in South Asia, from collision of massive plates

Plate Separation

Separation of plates allows magma to rise and create landforms
Example: volcanic islands such as Surtsey Island near Iceland
Ocean plates and continental plates collide: Ocean plate drops below continental plate
This creates a mountain range
Example: Andes Mountains in South America, from South American and Nazca plates colliding

Landform Formation

The collision of plates, or the separation of plates creates landforms, including ocean trenches, mountains, and volcanic islands.
The Himalayas are still growing due to continuous plate movement

Explore the fascinating concepts of continental drift and plate tectonics through this quiz. Learn about the movement of Earth's tectonic plates, the theory proposed by Alfred Wegener, and how these movements create various landforms such as mountains and ocean trenches. Test your knowledge on how continents have shifted over millions of years and the geological processes involved.