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Questions and Answers
Which landform is characterized by a flat surface elevated above the surrounding terrain on at least one side?
Which landform is characterized by a flat surface elevated above the surrounding terrain on at least one side?
Beyond planets and moons, which of the following is also considered a component of a solar system?
Beyond planets and moons, which of the following is also considered a component of a solar system?
What primary force holds a galaxy together?
What primary force holds a galaxy together?
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the Universe and galaxies?
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the Universe and galaxies?
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What is a crucial criterion that distinguishes a planet from other celestial bodies in our solar system?
What is a crucial criterion that distinguishes a planet from other celestial bodies in our solar system?
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Which of the following primarily differentiates comets from asteroids in our solar system?
Which of the following primarily differentiates comets from asteroids in our solar system?
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What term describes a meteoroid that has successfully impacted the Earth's surface?
What term describes a meteoroid that has successfully impacted the Earth's surface?
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What is a defining characteristic of Jovian planets that distinguishes them from terrestrial planets?
What is a defining characteristic of Jovian planets that distinguishes them from terrestrial planets?
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During which stage of star formation does nuclear fusion of hydrogen begin?
During which stage of star formation does nuclear fusion of hydrogen begin?
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What is the primary difference between a constellation and a star cluster?
What is the primary difference between a constellation and a star cluster?
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What is the driving force behind the movement of tectonic plates?
What is the driving force behind the movement of tectonic plates?
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Which type of plate boundary results in the formation of new crust?
Which type of plate boundary results in the formation of new crust?
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What geological feature is commonly associated with transform boundaries?
What geological feature is commonly associated with transform boundaries?
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Which type of plate is denser and tends to subduct beneath another?
Which type of plate is denser and tends to subduct beneath another?
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The Himalayan Mountains are an example of which type of plate boundary?
The Himalayan Mountains are an example of which type of plate boundary?
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Which layer of the Earth do tectonic plates float on?
Which layer of the Earth do tectonic plates float on?
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What process is primarily responsible for the creation of mid-ocean ridges?
What process is primarily responsible for the creation of mid-ocean ridges?
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What is a landform?
What is a landform?
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Which factors influence the formation and transformation of landforms?
Which factors influence the formation and transformation of landforms?
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What is the name of the theory that explains the movement and interaction of Earth's plates?
What is the name of the theory that explains the movement and interaction of Earth's plates?
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Flashcards
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
The theory describing the movement of Earth's plates on the mantle.
Lithosphere
Lithosphere
The rigid outer layer of the Earth, including the crust and upper mantle.
Asthenosphere
Asthenosphere
The semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere that allows plate movement.
Convergent Boundaries
Convergent Boundaries
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Divergent Boundaries
Divergent Boundaries
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Transform Boundaries
Transform Boundaries
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Subduction
Subduction
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Volcano Formation
Volcano Formation
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Earthquake
Earthquake
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Geomorphology
Geomorphology
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Coast
Coast
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Peninsula
Peninsula
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Mountain
Mountain
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Canyon
Canyon
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Solar System
Solar System
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Terrestrial Planets
Terrestrial Planets
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Jovian Planets
Jovian Planets
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Protostar
Protostar
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Supernova
Supernova
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Constellation
Constellation
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Study Notes
Plate Tectonics
- Plate tectonics is a theory unifying data about Earth's plate movement.
- Plates move on the mantle due to convection currents from the core.
- Technology confirms plate movement at centimeters per year.
- Plate tectonics explains Earth's changing surface.
Types of Plate Boundaries
- Plate boundaries are where tectonic plates interact.
- Three main types: convergent, divergent, transform.
- Convergent: Plates collide; subduction (one sinks) or collision occurs.
- Oceanic plates sink beneath continental plates (denser).
- Features: volcanoes, trenches, islands, mountains (e.g., Himalayas).
- Divergent: Plates move apart; new crust forms.
- Features: mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
- Transform: Plates slide past each other; fault lines form.
- Features: earthquakes due to pressure release (e.g., San Andreas Fault).
Landforms
- Landforms are Earth's physical features.
- Geomorphologists study how landforms change over time (internal: plate tectonics, volcanism; external: erosion, deposition, weathering).
- Common landforms: coast, island, peninsula, bay, mountain, hill, plateau, valley, canyon, plains.
- Ocean floor landforms: abyssal plains, valleys, seamounts, trenches, volcanic islands.
Solar System, Galaxies, and the Universe
- Solar System: Sun, planets (including moons), asteroids, dwarf planets, comets, meteoroids.
- Galaxy: Huge collection of gas, dust, stars, and solar systems, held by gravity.
- Universe: All of space, matter, energy, time, including planets, stars, galaxies. Large fraction is unknown dark matter.
- Universe contains hundreds of billions of galaxies in constant expansion.
- Galaxies have various shapes: spiral, elliptical, irregular.
Celestial Bodies
- Planets: significant gravitational pull, orbit a star, clear orbital path.
- Moons: orbit a planet.
- Asteroids: metal, rock, orbit the sun.
- Comets: icy bodies, have a gas tail as they near a star, orbit in an ellipse.
- Meteoroids: floating space rocks.
- Meteors: meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere, burn up.
- Meteorites: meteors that reach Earth's surface.
- Terrestrial planets: solid surface, smaller, metal core (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars).
- Jovian planets (gas giants): no solid surface, composed largely of gases (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Star Formation and Life Cycle
- Stars form in stellar nebulas (gas clouds).
- Protostar: first stage, hydrogen gas collapses, attempts core fusion.
- Brown dwarf: if protostar fails to accumulate enough mass for fusion.
- Main sequence: stable star, hydrogen fusion in core. Duration depends on star mass (10 million to 1 trillion years).
- Low-mass stars: become red giants, then planetary nebulae.
- High-mass stars: become red supergiants, then supernovae, leaving behind neutron stars or black holes.
Constellations and Star Clusters
- Constellations: groups of stars appearing close together in the sky (e.g., Cancer, Leo, Orion, Draco).
- Star clusters: physically close, gravitationally bound groups of stars. Formed together with galaxies, positions reflect early universe fluctuations.
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Description
This quiz explores the theory of plate tectonics, including the movement of Earth's plates and the types of plate boundaries. Test your knowledge on convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries along with their associated landforms and geological features.
