Science Quarter One - Plate Tectonics
37 Questions
2 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What characterizes conservative plate boundaries?

  • They result in significant volcanic activity.
  • They involve plates sliding past each other horizontally. (correct)
  • They occur when two plates collide.
  • They destroy and form new crust.

    • Which layer of the Earth accounts for the majority of its mass?

  • Crust
  • Core
  • Mantle (correct)
  • Outer Core

    • What is a key factor for determining the age difference between oceanic and continental rocks?

  • Oceanic rocks are formed under high pressure.
  • Oceanic rocks are less dense than continental rocks.
  • Continental rocks are continuously recycled.
  • Continental rocks are rarely destroyed. (correct)

    • Which major geological event is primarily caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth?

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

    Where do the majority of earthquakes occur?

    <p>Pacific Ring of Fire</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of fault is characterized by tensional stress and occurs at a divergent plate boundary?

    <p>Normal Fault</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the process of Elastic Rebound Theory describe in the context of earthquakes?

    <p>Energy made and released during an earthquake</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which seismic wave type is known for being compressional and the fastest?

    <p>Primary Waves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the hypocenter in relation to earthquakes?

    <p>The point beneath the Earth's surface where the earthquake originates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which earthquake is known as the notable earthquake of the 20th century in Chile?

    <p>Great Valdivian Earthquake</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of fault is associated with compressional stress and occurs at convergent plate boundaries?

    <p>Reverse Fault</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phenomenon describes the slowing down and bending of seismic waves as they pass through Earth's layers?

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

    Which of the following statements about secondary waves (S-waves) is true?

    <p>They cause ground motion perpendicular to the wave direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the name of the supercontinent that existed 250 - 300 million years ago?

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

    Which of the following is a piece of evidence for the Continental Drift Theory?

    <p>Glacial movement patterns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which geological evidence supports the idea of a jigsaw fit between continents?

    <p>Matching rock assemblages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main landmasses formed after the breakup of Pangaea?

    <p>Laurasia and Gondwanaland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes seafloor spreading?

    <p>Adding new material to the ocean floor and pushing older rocks away</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What instrument is used to measure underwater objects and their distances?

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

    Which type of ridge is associated with seafloor spreading?

    <p>Mid-Ocean ridge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What drives the process of seafloor spreading?

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

    What characterizes surface waves compared to other types of seismic waves?

    <p>Lower frequency and higher amplitude</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which seismic wave is known for its elliptical motion?

    <p>Rayleigh waves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the triangulation method in seismology?

    <p>To determine the location of an epicenter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who proposed the Gutenberg Discontinuity?

    <p>Beno Gutenberg</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What caused the discontinuation of Project Moho?

    <p>Political, budgetary, and scientific issues</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method tracks seismic wave motion during an earthquake?

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

    What specific area of seismic activity does the Wadati-Benioff Zone relate to?

    <p>Upper mantle subduction zones</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main objective of the Hellhole borehole project conducted by the USSR?

    <p>To compete with the US' Project Moho</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main driving force behind the movement of tectonic plates?

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

    Which of the following correctly describes the theory proposed by Alfred Wegener?

    <p>Continents move away from each other due to pole fleeing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do you call the massive, irregularly shaped slabs of solid rocks that make up Earth's crust?

    <p>Lithospheric plates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which type of plate boundaries do tectonic plates move towards each other?

    <p>Convergent Plate Boundaries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What geological activity is most likely to occur at a convergent plate boundary?

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

    Which of the following is not considered a primary tectonic plate?

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

    What type of tectonic plate movement involves magma rising in the gap between plates?

    <p>Ridge Push</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the name of the supercontinent proposed in Continental Drift Theory?

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

    Study Notes

    Plate Tectonics

    • Earth's crust is divided into moving tectonic plates due to convection currents in the mantle.
    • Alfred Wegener proposed the Continental Drift Theory in 1912, which laid the groundwork for plate tectonics.
    • Continental Drift Theory suggests continents separate from a supercontinent, Pangaea.

    Pangaea and Panthalassa

    • Pangaea was the ancient supercontinent, surrounded by the Panthalassa ocean.

    Tectonic Plates

    • Primary Tectonic Plates:
      • Pacific, North American, Antarctic, South American, African, Eurasian, Indian Australian.
    • Secondary Tectonic Plates:
      • Caribbean, Nazca, Cocos, Scotia, Arabian, Philippine, Juan de Fuca.

    Types of Plate Movements

    • Mantle Convection: Movement transfers heat from Earth's core to the lithosphere.
    • Slab Pull (Convergent): Denser oceanic plates sink beneath lighter continental plates.
    • Ridge Push (Divergent): Plates slide down the raised asthenosphere beneath mid-ocean ridges.

    Plate Boundaries

    • Convergent Boundaries (Destructive): Plates collide, creating subduction and causing earthquakes.
    • Divergent Boundaries (Constructive): Plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and form new crust.
    • Transform Boundaries (Conservative): Plates slide past each other horizontally without creating or destroying crust.

    Earth's Internal Structure

    • Seismic Waves help identify Earth's layers: S-Waves only travel through solids indicating solid vs. liquid layers.
    • Rock Samples provide insights into the composition of Earth's layers.
    • Major layers: Crust (0.5% of mass), Mantle (80% of mass), Core (15% of volume, comprised of solid inner core and liquid outer core).

    Earthquake Fundamentals

    • Earthquakes occur from the sudden release of energy, typically associated with faulting or rock breaking.
    • Most earthquakes (90%) occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire, caused by convergent margins.

    Fault Types

    • Normal Fault: Tensional forces, shallow magnitude, found in divergent boundaries.
    • Strike-Slip Fault: Shear forces, shallow/high magnitude, found in transform boundaries.
    • Reverse Fault: Compressional forces, deep/high magnitude, found in convergent boundaries.

    Elastic Rebound Theory

    • Proposed by Harry Fielding Reid, explains energy release in earthquakes.
    • The process involves friction, pressure, force, and energy.

    Notable Earthquakes

    • Chile Great Valdivian Earthquake: Noted for its extreme duration of 10 minutes.
    • Philippines Luzon Earthquake: Occurred on July 16, 1990, with a magnitude of 7.8.

    Seismic Wave Types

    • Body Waves: Includes Primary (P-waves) and Secondary (S-waves); travels through Earth’s interior.
    • Surface Waves: Travels through Earth's crust and causes the most damage during an earthquake.

    Methods of Study

    • Triangulation Method: Determines the epicenter of an earthquake using data from multiple seismic stations.
    • Mohorovicic Discontinuity: Separates crust from mantle, discovered by Andrija Mohorovicic.
    • Gutenberg Discontinuity: Separates mantle from the core, proposed by Beno Gutenberg.

    Historical Context of Continental Drift

    • Wegener based his theory on the resemblance of coastlines and fossils across continents.
    • Major periods of geological history include the formation of Pangaea during the Permian period (250-300 million years ago).

    Seafloor Spreading

    • Describes the addition of new material to the ocean floor, driven by convection currents in the mantle.
    • Evidence includes pillow-shaped rocks formed from rapid cooling of molten material at mid-ocean ridges.
    • Mid-Ocean Ridge is the longest mountain range formed by divergent boundaries.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    This quiz covers the fundamentals of plate tectonics, including the theory that Earth's crust is divided into plates and their constant movement influenced by convection currents in the mantle. It also discusses the historical context of the theory's discovery, particularly Alfred Wegener's Continental Drift Theory. Test your knowledge on these essential concepts of Earth science!

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser