Geology and Plate Tectonics Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the phenomenon called when heated material rises to the surface, cools, and sinks back into the depths?

  • Transform Movement
  • Subduction
  • Convection Flow (correct)
  • Spreading
  • What is the name of the supercontinent that existed in the past?

  • Laurasia
  • Gondwana
  • Pangaea (correct)
  • Atlantis
  • Which term refers to the area where one tectonic plate dives under another?

  • Convergent Boundary (correct)
  • Plate Margin
  • Transform Boundary
  • Divergent Boundary
  • What type of boundaries are formed when tectonic plates move apart?

    <p>Divergent Boundaries (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the mega-ocean that existed during the time of Pangaea called?

    <p>Panthalassa (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who first proposed the idea of joining continents?

    <p>Abraham Ortelius (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the name of the single continental mass proposed by Alfred Wegener?

    <p>Pangaea (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Alfred Wegener call the oceans that were formed during this period?

    <p>Panthalassa (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which two large land masses did Pangaea split into?

    <p>Laurasia and Gondwana (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which continents did Laurasia primarily consist of after the split of Pangaea?

    <p>North America and parts of Europe (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of rock is tillite classified as?

    <p>Sedimentary rock formed from glacial deposits (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do tillites indicate about the Earth's past?

    <p>Prolonged glaciations and continental drift (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is true about placer deposits of gold in Ghana?

    <p>They have no source rock (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the landmass that connected India, Madagascar, and Africa called?

    <p>Lemuria (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant feature is observed in the shorelines of South America and Africa?

    <p>They have a remarkable match. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which force did Wegener suggest was responsible for the drifting of continents?

    <p>Polar fleeing force (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Bullard illustrate the fit between the continents?

    <p>By providing a jigsaw puzzle representation. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What age are the ancient rock formations in Brazil that resemble those in Western Africa?

    <p>2000 million years (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which geological period did the marine sediment deposits in South America and Africa originate?

    <p>Jurassic period (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of the fit of the continents is specifically mentioned regarding its extent?

    <p>It extended approximately 1000 fathoms along the shoreline. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most active area for volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor?

    <p>Mid-oceanic ridge (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the ocean floor's younger age compared to continents indicate?

    <p>It is constantly being formed and renewed. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT part of the continental margins?

    <p>Mid-oceanic ridge (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What geographic feature coincides with the distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes?

    <p>Mid-Atlantic ridge (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Arthur Holmes propose in 1930 regarding plate tectonics?

    <p>Convectional current theory due to temperature differences (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the structure of the longest mountain chain on the ocean floor?

    <p>A central rift system and volcanic activity. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT considered a driving force for plate tectonics?

    <p>Magnetic pole reversal (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of post drift studies in plate tectonics?

    <p>Mapping ocean currents and their relation to convection (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about Lemuria is true?

    <p>Lemuria is associated with a now-discredited 19th-century hypothesis. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do most scholars believe about tidal forces in the context of plate movement?

    <p>They are not sufficient to solely move tectonic plates. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the average thickness of oceanic tectonic plates?

    <p>100 km (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who introduced the theory of plate tectonics?

    <p>McKenzie, Parker, and Morgan (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which tectonic plate is considered the largest oceanic plate?

    <p>Pacific plate (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What part of the Earth do tectonic plates move over?

    <p>Asthenosphere (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two parts that tectonic plates consist of?

    <p>Oceanic and continental (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is not considered a major plate of the Earth?

    <p>Cocos Plate (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which plate is involved in the convergence theory suggested by Wegener?

    <p>Indian-Australia-New Zealand Plate (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence is used to determine the position of the Indian subcontinent?

    <p>Geological studies of rocks from the Nagpur area (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is classified as a minor plate?

    <p>Philippine Plate (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which major plate surrounds the continent of Antarctica?

    <p>Antarctica and Surrounding Oceanic Plate (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process describes the formation of new oceanic crust at the mid-ocean ridge?

    <p>Sea floor spreading (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic of rocks indicates their age relative to the mid-ocean ridge?

    <p>Magnetic polarity (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately describes the age of oceanic crust compared to continental crust?

    <p>Oceanic crust is younger than continental crust. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phenomenon is commonly associated with deep sea trenches?

    <p>Common earthquakes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence did paleomagnetic studies provide about the mid-ocean ridge?

    <p>Rocks have similar ages and compositions as they move away from the ridge (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens at divergent boundaries?

    <p>New crust is generated. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a characteristic of transform boundaries?

    <p>Plates slide horizontally. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of a convergent boundary where an ocean plate meets a continent plate?

    <p>Subduction occurs. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement correctly describes transform boundaries?

    <p>They demonstrate differential movement at the same time. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best explains the nature of crust at transform boundaries?

    <p>Crust remains unchanged. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Pangaea

    The supercontinent that existed millions of years ago, before breaking apart into the continents we know today.

    Panthalassa

    The vast ocean that surrounded Pangaea, before it split into the modern oceans.

    Convective Flow

    A geological process where heated material in Earth's mantle rises, cools, and sinks back down, creating currents.

    Subduction Zone

    The location where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, leading to volcanic activity and earthquake zones.

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    Sea Floor Spreading

    A theory explaining how new oceanic crust is created at spreading centers, pushing older crust away.

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    Abraham Ortelius

    A Dutch map maker who first proposed the idea that continents could be joined together.

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    Alfred Wegener

    A German meteorologist who proposed the Continental Drift Theory, suggesting that continents were once a single landmass.

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    Laurasia

    One of the two large landmasses that Pangaea split into, forming the northern continents.

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    Continental Fit

    The edges of continents, especially South America and Africa, fit together like puzzle pieces, suggesting they were once connected.

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    Matching Rock Formations

    Rocks from different continents, separated by oceans, are surprisingly similar in age and composition.

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    Similar Rock Types Found on Different Continents

    Rocks of the same age and type are found on continents now separated by vast oceans, pointing to a shared past.

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    Bullard's 1964 Map

    This map, created by Bullard in 1964, showed a more precise matching of continents' coastlines, strengthening the theory of continental drift.

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    Marine Fossils and Sediment Deposits

    Marine fossils and sediment deposits, found on different continents, indicate a shared past geological environment.

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    What is a tillite?

    A type of sedimentary rock formed from glacial deposits, indicating past ice ages.

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    What are placer deposits?

    Deposits of valuable minerals, like gold, concentrated by natural processes.

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    How can fossil distribution support continental drift?

    The presence of identical plant and animal species on different continents suggests they were once connected.

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    What is Lemuria?

    A hypothetical landmass that existed millions of years ago, linking India, Madagascar, and Africa, as suggested by the presence of Lemurs.

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    What is the polar fleeing force?

    A force proposed by Alfred Wegener to explain continental drift, suggesting that the Earth's rotation caused continents to move away from the poles.

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    Convectional Current Theory

    A theory proposed by Arthur Holmes in 1930 that explains the movement of tectonic plates through the process of convection currents in the Earth's mantle.

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    Ridge Push

    The force exerted by the weight of the lithosphere sliding down the slope of a mid-ocean ridge, pushing the plates apart.

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    Trench Pull

    The force pulling plates towards subduction zones, where one plate slides beneath another.

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    Lemuria

    A hypothetical lost land mass proposed in the 19th century, often linked to the Indian or Pacific Ocean.

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    Membrane Forces on Spinning Ellipsoid

    Forces that originate from the Earth's rotation and shape, potentially influencing the movement of tectonic plates.

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    Abyssal Plains

    A vast expanse of flat, sediment-covered ocean floor found between continental margins and mid-oceanic ridges.

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    Mid-Oceanic Ridge

    The most active zone for volcanic eruptions on Earth, located in the middle of the ocean.

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    Continental Slope

    The gradual sloping transition from the continental shelf to the deep ocean floor.

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    Paleomagnetism

    The process where rock's magnetic properties change due to Earth's magnetic field reversals. This provides evidence for seafloor spreading by showing younger rocks with normal magnetic polarity closer to the ridge and older rocks with reversed polarity further away.

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    Age of Oceanic Crust

    The age of oceanic crust increases further away from the mid-oceanic ridge, demonstrating that new crust is formed at the ridge and pushed outwards.

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    What is a tectonic plate?

    A massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock that forms the Earth's outer layer.

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    What is the Asthenosphere?

    The layer of the Earth's mantle below the tectonic plates, which is hot, semi-solid, and allows the plates to move.

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    What is plate tectonics?

    The process where tectonic plates move horizontally over the Asthenosphere.

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    What is a plate boundary?

    The boundary between two tectonic plates.

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    What is seafloor spreading?

    The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges, where magma pushes up from the mantle.

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    Major Plates

    The largest and most stable tectonic plates of the Earth's crust.

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    Minor Plates

    Smaller and less stable tectonic plates that move around the major plates.

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    What is Pangaea?

    A supercontinent proposed to have existed millions of years ago. It is believed that the plates that formed Pangaea drifted apart over time to form the continents we know today.

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    What is Wegener's Pangaea Theory?

    This theory suggests that the continents were once joined together in a single landmass called Pangaea, and over millions of years, they have drifted apart due to the movement of Earth's tectonic plates.

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    What are Subduction Zones?

    A region where two tectonic plates converge and one slides beneath the other.

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    Divergent Boundary

    Where two tectonic plates move apart from each other, new crust is created, and often results in volcanic activity and mid-ocean ridges.

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    Convergent Boundary

    A zone where two tectonic plates collide, resulting in one plate sliding beneath the other. This process, called subduction, leads to the formation of volcanoes, mountain ranges, and deep oceanic trenches.

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    Transform Boundary

    The place where one tectonic plate slides horizontally past another. This movement creates earthquakes and fault lines along the boundary.

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    Subduction

    The process by which one tectonic plate slides beneath another at a convergent boundary, often leading to the formation of volcanoes and mountain ranges.

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    Spreading Site

    A region where the Earth's crust is created as two tectonic plates move apart, typically resulting in volcanic activity and mid-ocean ridges.

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