Plate Tectonics Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is defined as a volcano with documented eruptions within the last 10,000 years?

  • Dormant Volcano
  • Active Volcano (correct)
  • Extinct Volcano
  • Fumarole

What term describes the exact site where an earthquake begins, located below the epicenter?

  • Seismic Zone
  • Focus (correct)
  • Epicenter
  • Fault Line

Which type of seismic wave is the first to be recorded by a seismic station and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases?

  • Surface Wave
  • SS-Wave
  • Secondary Wave
  • Primary Wave (correct)

How thick can the Earth's crust range from, at its thinnest to its thickest?

<p>5 to 50 km (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of Earth's crust is thicker but less dense and not located under ocean areas?

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

What is the average rate of movement for Earth's tectonic plates?

<p>1.5 cm per year (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of wave is characterized as stronger and only travels through solids?

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

What do we call the graphical record of an earthquake?

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

What is the process called when an oceanic plate slides under a continental plate?

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

Which of the following best describes earthquakes?

<p>Vibrations of Earth caused by tectonic plate movement. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of seismic wave is the first to be recorded by a seismograph?

<p>P-wave (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geological feature is typically formed when two continental plates collide?

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

Which plate is the smallest tectonic plate mentioned?

<p>Juan de Fuca Plate (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon can occur due to strong earthquakes at the ocean floor?

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

The Himalayas are primarily formed from the collision of which type of tectonic plates?

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

Which of the following correctly defines a seismograph?

<p>A device used to record earthquake waves. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is formed as crustal material fills the space created at divergent boundaries?

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

Which term describes the process where lithospheric plates slide past one another horizontally?

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

Which geological event is commonly associated with the movement of tectonic plates at convergent boundaries?

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

What is the primary cause of lithospheric plate movement?

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

Which geological feature is most likely to form from divergent boundaries located under the sea?

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

What describes the asthenosphere?

<p>A fluid-like layer in the upper mantle (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon is a characteristic of transform boundaries, such as the San Andreas Fault?

<p>Lateral movement of tectonic plates (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is formed as a result of tectonic plate interactions at convergent boundaries?

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

What occurs at divergent boundaries?

<p>Plates move apart, creating tension (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which boundary type is associated with the subduction of one plate beneath another?

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

What geological feature is formed when two oceanic plates converge?

<p>Island arcs and oceanic trenches (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when oceanic crust meets continental crust?

<p>The oceanic plate is subducted, creating mountain ranges (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common result of a continent-continent collision?

<p>Creation of large mountain ranges (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of plate motion occurs at transform boundaries?

<p>Plates slide past each other without converging (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reptiles was a coastal animal that lived during the early Permian period?

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

What can strong earthquakes generated at oceanic convergent boundaries potentially cause?

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

Where can fossils of the Lystrosaurus be found?

<p>South Africa, India, and Antarctica (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of tectonic plates interacting at plate boundaries?

<p>Creation and destruction of crust (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant role does the fossil Glossopteris play in understanding continental drift?

<p>It suggests that the continents must have been joined at one point. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these prehistoric animals was known to be a mammal-like reptile?

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

What does the presence of glacial deposits in South America and Africa suggest?

<p>They were likely connected at some point in the past. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What were the limitations of Cynognathus and Lystrosaurus regarding ocean travel?

<p>Neither could traverse oceans due to their physical characteristics. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of the Mesosaurus's anatomy that aided in its movement?

<p>Long hind legs and a limber tail. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the ecological role of Glossopteris?

<p>A seed-producing plant known for its bulky seeds. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Plate Tectonics Overview

  • Active volcanoes have documented eruptions within the last 10,000 years.
  • Earthquakes are vibrations caused by the rapid release of energy.
  • The epicenter is located directly above an earthquake's focus, where the earthquake originates.
  • Magma is molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface.
  • Mountain ranges comprise chains of mountains above the surrounding land.

Earth's Crust

  • The crust is the Earth's outermost layer, consisting of solid rocks: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous.
  • Average crust density is 2.8 g/cm³; thickness ranges from 5 km to 50 km.
  • Continental crust is thicker but less dense, while oceanic crust is thinner but denser.

Tectonic Plates

  • The lithosphere is divided into rigid plates that move slowly at a rate of about 1.5 cm annually.
  • Major tectonic plates include the Pacific, North American, Eurasian, African, Antarctic, Indo-Australian, and South American plates.
  • The Juan de Fuca Plate is the smallest, covering approximately 250,000 km², located west of Washington State and British Columbia.

Plate Boundaries and Movement

  • Tectonic plates interact at plate boundaries, which can be divergent, convergent, or transform.
  • Divergent boundaries occur where plates move apart, causing tension and sometimes forming rift valleys.
  • Convergent boundaries involve plates colliding; subduction occurs when one plate slides under another, leading to volcanic activity and mountain formation.
  • Transform boundaries feature plates sliding past each other, as exemplified by the San Andreas Fault.

Geologic Events at Boundaries

  • Oceanic-continental convergence leads to the formation of mountain ranges (e.g., the Andes) and ocean trenches (e.g., the Philippine Trench).
  • Oceanic-oceanic convergence creates volcanic island arcs and can trigger tsunamis.
  • Continental-continental convergence results in large mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas, which includes Mount Everest, the tallest peak at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet).

Mechanisms of Plate Movement

  • The asthenosphere is a soft layer where lithospheric plates float and move due to convection currents caused by heat transfer from the Earth’s core.
  • Hot material rises, while cooler material sinks, facilitating the movement of lithospheric plates.

Fossil and Glacial Evidence

  • Fossils of Cynognathus, Lystrosaurus, Mesosaurus, and Glossopteris indicate historical land connections among now-separated continents.
  • Glacial deposits exist on various land masses such as South America, Africa, India, and Australia, showing past glacial activity indicative of continental links.

Key Geological Features

  • Seismic waves include Primary (P-waves) and Secondary (S-waves), which are recorded by seismographs to create seismograms.
  • Earthquake effects include the formation of trenches, mountains, and volcanic islands, emphasizing the dynamic nature of Earth's surface.
  • Good luck on your exam!*

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