Download Plate Tectonics Test

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Plate Tectonics Study Guide
What is the distance from the earth's surface to the center of the earth?
6,400 km
What do Paleontologists study?
They study fossil evidence to learn more about Earth’s history
Based on scientific evidence, what is the approximate age of the earth?
4.5 billion years old
Put these 4 events in history in sequence (relative time) by numbering 1 for oldest to 4
for youngest:
2 Fossil evidence of first land plants
1 Oldest rock
3 Age of reptiles
4 Dinosaurs became extinct
Describe the idea of Continental Drift.
The idea that the continents were once joined to form one land mass and have drifted
apart.
What is Pangaea?
Pangaea is the name of the land mass when the continents were joined together.
Describe the theory of plate tectonics?
A theory that Earth’s lithosphere is broken into large sections called plates. These
plates move causing old crust to change or be destroyed and new crust to form.
What scientific evidence supports the theory of plate tectonics?
Scientists have found similar plant and animal fossils, similar mountain layers, similar
glacier markings on continents that are no longer touching. Scientists have also used
technology to match coastlines and track plate movement.
How are earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation related to plate tectonics?
These geological processes occur at plate boundaries.
What are convection currents and in which layer of Earth are they found?
Convection currents are a circulation of fluid due to differences in temperature. They
are found in the lower mantle.
What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is a sudden release of pressure between two plates that are sliding past
each other.
What does the epicenter of an earthquake refer to?
The epicenter is the point on the crust above the focus (where the energy waves
originate).
What is subduction? Describe where it occurs.
Subduction is when one lithospheric plate goes beneath another and melts into magma.
This occurs at a convergent boundary where at least one of the plates is oceanic
lithosphere.
What is a hotspot? Describe what geologic activities occur at hotspots.
A point in the mantle that is so hot the magma breaks through the lithosphere and
comes to the surface, these are located away from plate boundaries. As the tectonic
plate moves over a hotspot volcanoes form.
Provide a geographic example, draw a diagram to illustrate and describe what geologic
activities occur at the following plate boundaries:
Transform Boundary:
There is a transform boundary on the Western edge of the North American plate where
it is sliding past the Pacific plate.
You typically get earthquakes here.
Divergent Boundary
A divergent boundary occurs between the Eurasian and North American plate where the
plates are moving apart or spreading. You get earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain
ranges forming from the new lithosphere.
Convergent Boundary
A convergent boundary occurs where the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate.
You get earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain ranges at convergent boundaries.
Subduction occurs when one or more of the plates is oceanic lithosphere.
What does the word “lithosphere” refer to? At what type of boundary is new lithosphere
likely to be created?
The lithosphere is made up of the crust and the upper mantle. It is the first 100 km from
the surface of earth. New lithosphere is made at divergent boundaries.
Use the circle below to draw a diagram of the earth's interior by sketching the
approximate size of each layer and label each layer with its name and state (solid, liquid
or other). Draw in the lithosphere.
Crust – solid
Lithosphere – 100
km below surface
Mantle
Upper – solid
Lower – liquid
Outer Core –
liquid
Inner Core –
solid