Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift Theory Quiz

Continental Drift Theory

• Main evidence includes the fit of South America and Africa, fossil similarities, and geological similarities across continents.
• The discovery of matching rock formations and fossil records across distant continents indicates historical connections.

Seafloor Spreading

• The theory of seafloor spreading is based on the discovery of the Atlantic Ocean's spreading floor, which shows new crust formation at mid-ocean ridges.

Plate Boundaries

• A convergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates collide, leading to various geological features, like mountain ranges or deep ocean trenches.

Driving Forces of Plate Movement

• Plate movement is driven by mantle convection, gravity, and the Earth's internal heat, causing the tectonic plates to shift.

Development of Plate Tectonic Theory

• Evidence for Plate Tectonic Theory includes the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes, patterns of seafloor spreading, and magnetic striping on the ocean floor.

Types of Convergent Boundaries

• An oceanic-continental convergent boundary forms when an ocean plate collides with a continental plate, leading to subduction and the formation of mountain ranges or volcanic activity.

Surface Features from Continental Collisions

• When two continental plates collide at a convergent boundary, they create extensive mountain ranges due to the uplift and folding of crust.

Island Arcs Formation

• Island arcs appear at oceanic-oceanic convergent boundaries when subducting seafloor volcanoes rise above sea level, forming volcanic islands.

Divergent Boundaries

• A divergent boundary forms when two plates move apart, resulting in the creation of new ocean floor through volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges.

Features of Transform Boundaries

• Surface features along transform boundaries can include fault lines and earthquakes, as tectonic plates slide past each other without creating or destroying crust.