Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift
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Questions and Answers

What was the supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener known as?

  • Gondwana
  • Pangaea (correct)
  • Atlantis
  • Laurasia

    • What does the theory of plate tectonics describe?

  • The way the ocean currents affect climate
  • The disappearance of dinosaurs
  • The rise of mountains due to erosion
  • The movement of the earth's outer shell plates (correct)

    • Which process describes the formation of new sea floors?

  • Sea-floor spreading (correct)
  • Erosion
  • Continental drift
  • Subduction

    • What occurs during subduction?

    <p>Old ocean floor is pushed back into the earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence suggests that continents were once joined?

    <p>Identical fossils found in different continents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Glacial striations are best described as:

    <p>Scratches on rock from glacier movement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do climate belts help determine?

    <p>Materials comprising a region</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During what period did almost all continents exist as a single landmass?

    <p>Paleozoic Era</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the movement of continents due to tectonic forces?

    <p>Continental drift</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which layer of the Earth is primarily involved in tectonic plate movement?

    <p>Lithosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What drives the movement of tectonic plates?

    <p>Convection currents in the mantle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when two continental plates collide?

    <p>Mountains are formed</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process of sediments being deposited by glaciers called?

    <p>Glacial till</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the coastlines of continents support the theory of plate tectonics?

    <p>Their shapes fit together like a puzzle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the depth at which the ocean floor is typically found?

    <p>5 km</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of seamounts?

    <p>They are underwater mountains that can be active or inactive.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a feature of mid-ocean ridges?

    <p>They are points where oceanic crust is created.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can cause the magnetic poles of Earth to flip?

    <p>Variations in the liquid outer core's flow.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What information do magnetic stripes on the ocean floor provide?

    <p>The history of magnetic field reversals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are volcanic arcs typically associated with?

    <p>Subduction zones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the alignment of magnetic minerals in igneous rocks that reflects the Earth's magnetic field direction?

    <p>Remanent magnetism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does negative magnetic anomaly have on readings?

    <p>It signifies a location of weaker magnetic fields.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes the geographical area where tectonic plates interact and produce seismic activity?

    <p>Seismic zone.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What indicates the presence of a mid-ocean ridge?

    <p>A linear series of underwater mountains.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible consequence of a volcanic eruption in a mid-ocean ridge?

    <p>Release of magma into the water, forming new island segments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the concept of polarity relate to Earth's magnetic field?

    <p>It indicates the orientation of magnetic dipoles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What determines the inclination of compasses in relation to the magnetic field?

    <p>The magnetic field’s direction and orientation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do geological features such as ridges and arcs typically indicate about the Earth’s crust?

    <p>Dynamic tectonic interactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to plant material in swamps when it is burned?

    <p>It forms into coal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What geographical feature is formed in subtropical regions due to salt accumulation?

    <p>Dunes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the phrase 'they can't swim' refer to in the context of fossils?

    <p>Fossils of land-dwelling species</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What geological process suggests that continents have split apart?

    <p>Plate tectonics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which feature matches the rock assemblages found between two coastlines?

    <p>Mountain belts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do mid-ocean ridges represent in geological terms?

    <p>Divergent boundaries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is primarily traced in bathymetric profiles?

    <p>Seafloor depth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do earthquakes help to generate in the context of seafloor analysis?

    <p>Bathymetric maps</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of landforms can be created by the evaporation of sea water in coastal regions?

    <p>Salt flats</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which depth describes how low mid-ocean ridges can extend below sea level?

    <p>2-5 km</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristic of fossils supports the theory of continental drift?

    <p>Fossils of similar species exist on separated continents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of geological activity typically occurs at transform fault boundaries?

    <p>Earthquakes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the land in tropical regions primarily characterized?

    <p>Swamps and jungles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can cause large leaves to develop in certain regions?

    <p>High rainfall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Plate Tectonics

    • Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist, proposed the hypothesis that all the continents were once one supercontinent called Pangaea.
    • Tectonics refers to the outer shell of the Earth (lithosphere) which is composed of plates that move with each other.
    • Continental Drift refers to the breaking up of the supercontinent and drifting of the continents apart.
    • Sea Floor Spreading occurs when new sea floors form and they move apart, moving the continents apart.
    • Magma rises and pushes the sea floor apart creating new crust
    • Subduction occurs when old ocean floor bends and goes back inside the Earth when continents move towards each other.
    • The heavier plate sinks under the lighter plate, causing the lighter plate to rise and form mountains.
    • Coastal lines of continents fit together, providing evidence of their past connection.

    Evidence of Continental Drift

    • Glaciations - evidence of glaciers in certain parts of the world that then moved across the land.
    • Striations - scratches on rocks from grains of sediments sticking out of a glacier.
    • Till - deposit left behind when ice melts and the sediment is deposited.
    • Climate Belts - the materials that compose a rock can be used to determine its past climate.

    Formation Of Coal

    • Coal is formed from plant material, which is deeply buried and burned in tropical regions.

    Formation of Deserts

    • Deserts are found on both sides of the subtropical belts, forming dunes.
    • Salt accumulates from evaporated sea water.

    Fossils

    • Fossils found on different continents separated by water imply that the continents were at one point connected.
    • Land-dwelling species could not swim.

    Geologic Units

    • Observing differences in rock assemblages and mountain belts between coastlines of continents can help to determine that the landmasses were once joined.

    Seafloor-Bathymetric Profile

    • Illustrates the depth of the seafloor along a line.
    • Contains ocean basins and volcanic mountain ranges.
    • Earth quakes are measured to obtain bathymetric maps.

    Mid-Ocean Ridges

    • Form a continuous chain of underwater mountains.
    • Youngest oceanic floor is found along the mid-ocean ridge.
    • Located 5km below sea level.

    Deep Sea Trenches

    • Located at the edge of volcanic arcs.
    • Deeper than 5km.

    Fracture Zones

    • Run perpendicular to the mid-ocean ridge.
    • Interrupt the continuity of the ridge.

    Seamount Chains

    • Underwater mountains formed by inactive volcanoes.
    • Form chains and islands.

    Earth's Magnetic Field

    • Liquid outer core of the Earth contains iron, which conducts electricity.
    • Magnetic poles do not align with geographic poles.
    • Magnetic poles have moved around over time.

    Magnetic Anomalies

    • Recorded in basalt rocks.
    • Magnetic poles flip directions, resulting in an apparent polar path.
    • Positive anomalies add to the Earth's magnetic field.
    • Negative anomalies subtract from the Earth's magnetic field.
    • Similar patterns are mirrored across the mid-ocean ridge on the sea floor.

    Inclination

    • This indicates the direction a compass points, which is either towards or away from the Earth.
    • The direction of the magnetic field depends on the inclination.

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    Description

    Explore the concepts of plate tectonics and the evidence for continental drift in this quiz. Learn about Alfred Wegener's hypothesis of Pangaea, sea floor spreading, subduction, and how coastal lines provide proof of past connections between continents. Test your knowledge on the dynamic processes shaping our Earth.

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