15 Questions
What theory combines the concepts of seafloor spreading, continental drift, and Earth's crust?
Plate Tectonics
What did Alfred Wegener hypothesize about the movement of continents?
They drift apart gradually
What geological phenomenon did Wegener use to support his continental drift theory?
Coal fields distribution
Which part of Earth is broken up into tectonic plates that carry continents and parts of the ocean floor?
Crust
What drives the slow, constant motion of tectonic plates according to the text?
Forces in the mantle
What type of plate boundary is characterized by two plates sliding past each other horizontally?
Transform boundary
In a continent-ocean collision, why does the oceanic plate sink beneath the continental plate?
The oceanic lithosphere is denser
What geological activity can be caused by tectonic plate movement?
Mountain building
How are most earthquakes generated according to the text?
By faulting along tectonic plate boundaries
What geological process causes the formation of mountains like the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States?
Uplift
What was the key evidence that supported Hess's theory of seafloor spreading?
Magnetic stripes in oceanic rocks
What causes the movement of tectonic plates as a result of ridge push?
Older rock being pushed downward from the mid-ocean ridge
What process occurs at convergent plate boundaries?
Plates colliding together
Which type of plate boundary is characterized by rifting and the formation of a deep crack on land?
Divergent boundary
Why do many scientists believe that slab pull may be the most significant force behind plate movements?
Because it causes plates to sink beneath less dense plates
Explore the concept of tectonic plates and how they shape the Earth's surface. Learn about the movement of plates and the phenomena they create, such as earthquakes and volcanic activity.
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