Download Name: Period:_____ Date:______ The field of earth science which

Name:_____________________________________________
Period:_____
Date:__________
1. The field of earth science which is involved with the study of the earth’s structure, composition and the
various processes and forces which cause the earth’s surface to change is called GEOLOGY.
2. JAMES HUTTON is considered to be the founder and father of modern day
Geology because many of the ideas, practices and theories that he used are still used today.
3. The earth is believed to be approximately 4.6 billion years old.
4. The earth is composed of the following four major layers: P.P. 12 – 15, Video : Continents Adrift,
Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
A. CRUST
B. MANTLE
C. OUTER CORE
D. INNER CORE
5. The only layer of the earth’s interior which is believed to be in a liquid phase or state that is composed of
high concentrations of iron and nickel is the OUTER CORE. P. 15, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro
Game, Power Point Presentation
6. The MAGNETIC field of the earth is created because the liquid iron and nickel which composes the
earth’s outer core is slowly circulating around the earth’s solid iron and nickel inner core. P. 16 - 17,
Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
7. The border line between the earth’s crust and mantle is called the MOHO layer. Video : Continents
Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
8. The crust of the earth and the solid outer portion of the earth’s mantle compose the LITHOSPHERE of
the earth. P. 14, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
9. Heat can be moved or transmitted from the source of the heat to another location by any of the
following methods: P.P. 18 – 20, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
A. RADIATION
B. CONDUCTION
C. CONVECTION
10. The transfer or movement of heat from the source of the heat from the source of the heat as infrared
light which is converted to heat energy when it strikes the surface of an object is called RADIATION.
P.P. 18 – 20, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
(Example: The transfer or movement of heat from the sun to the earth)
11. The transfer or movement of heat from the source of the heat through an object or substance from one
atom or molecule of the object or substance to another is called CONDUCTION. P.P. 18 – 20, Video :
Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
(Example: The movement or transfer of heat from the heat source through the atoms or molecules that
compose a metal spoon to your hand.)
Page 2
12. The transfer or movement of heat from the source of the heat through a gas or liquid when hot (less
dense) gases or liquids near the source of the heat rise and gradually cool becoming more dense sinking
downward toward the source of the heat where they are reheated is called CONVECTION. P.P. 18 – 20,
Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
(Example: The hot (less dense) water near the bottom of a pot being heated on a stove rises and gradually
cools becoming more dense as it cools causing it to then sink downward toward the bottom of the pot
where it is reheated again
13. The partially melted rock which composes the earth’s mantle is moving very slowly (About a1 – 2
inches/year) in CONVECTION currents because the very hot less dense material that composes the
earth’s mantle near the outer core rises upward very slowly toward the crust of the earth where is cools
becoming more dense causing it to slowly sink and move downward toward the outer core of the earth
where it is reheated. P. 21, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
14. The portion of the earth’s mantle that is moving very slowly in convection currents is called the
ASTHENOSPHERE. P. 14, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
15. The Theory of CONTINENTAL DRIFT proposed by ALFRED WEGENER in the early 1900’s
said that about 200 million years ago all of the land masses of the earth were connected together as one
giant land mass that broke apart into pieces which slowly drifted away from each other over million of
years in different directions to their present day location. P.P. 76 – 79, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro
Game
16. Alfred Wegener named the giant land mass that he described in his Theory of Continental Drift
PANGAEA. P. 77, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
17. Some evidence which supports Alfred Wegener’s Theory of Continental Drift are: P.P. 76 – 79,
Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
a. MOUNTAIN ranges on two different continents that are separated by a large ocean appear to
line up with each other when the continents that formed Pangaea are joined together.
(Example: Appalachian Mountain Chain in the United States and England)
b. Living ANIMALS and PLANTS which are similar in appearance and structure are found living
on different continents that are separated by large oceans. (Example: Ostrich and Emu)
c. FOSSILS of identical animals and plants were found on different continents even though the
continents were separated by a large ocean.
(Example: Fossils of giant tree ferns found in South America, Africa and Australia)
d. Some land masses or continents appear to FIT together like the pieces of a giant jig saw
puzzle. (Example: The east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa)
e. Fossils of plants that are normally found growing in WARM climates were found in arctic
regions where it would have been too cold for them to grow in today.
f. ROCK layers (strata) and MINERAL deposits which were similar in age and composition
were found on two different continents that were separated by large oceans or great distances.
(Example: Coal deposits found in England and Pennsylvania)
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18. The process which is believed to have caused Pangaea to break apart and which today is still causing
the land masses (continents) to slowly move away from each other in different directions as the material
that composes the earth’s mantle slowly moves beneath the earth’s crust in convection currents is called
SEA FLOOR SPREADING. Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
19. The process in which the ocean floor on either side of a rift valley is slowly being pushed apart by
molten rock that erupts from the rift valley of a mid ocean ridge to form new oceanic crust is called SEA
FLOOR SPREADING. P.P. 80 – 83, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
20. As you move further and further away from either side of a rift valley of a mid ocean ridge the age of
the rock becomes increasingly OLDER. P. 82, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
21. Today the theory of PLATE TECTONICS says that the earth’s crust is
broken up into plates called lithospheric plates which are constantly moving due to sea floor spreading.
P. 87, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game
22. Lithospheric plates are sometimes called TECTONIC plates.
Intro Game
P. 86, Video : Continents Adrift,
23. Eight of the 15 major lithospheric plates that compose the earth’s crust are the:
P. 87, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
A. NORTH AMERICAN Plate
B. SOUTH AMERICAN Plate
B. EURASIAN Plate
D. ANTARCTIC Plate
E. AFRICAN Plate
F. INDO-AUSTRALIAN Plate
G. PACIFIC Plate
H. NAZCA Plate
24. The border line which if formed when two different lithospheric plates meet is called a(n)
TECTONIC or LITHOSPHERIC plate boundary. P. 87, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power
Point Presentation
25. The three major types of lithospheric plate boundaries are: P. 87, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro
Game, Power Point Presentation
A. CONVERGENT or DESTRUCTIVE Plate Boundary
B. DIVERGENT or CONSTRUCTIVE Plate Boundary
C. TRANSFORM Plate Boundary
26. A type of lithospheric plate boundary which is formed when two lithospheric plates of the earth’s crust
move toward each other is called a(n) CONVERGENT or DESTRUCTIVE plate boundary.
(Example: Pacific Plate and the North and South American Plate) P. 90, Video : Continents Adrift,
Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
( → | ←)
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27. A type of lithospheric plate boundary which is formed when two lithospheric plates of the earth’s crust
move away from each other in opposite directions is called a(n) DIVERGENT or
CONSTRUCTIVE plate boundary.
(Example: Mid Atlantic Ridge) P. 89, Video : Continents Adrift,
Intro Game, Power Point Presentation ( ← | → )
28. A type of lithospheric plate boundary which is formed when two lithospheric plates of the earth’s crust
slowly slide past each other in opposite directions parallel to one another is called a(n) TRANSFORM plate
boundary.
(Example: Where the Pacific Plate and North American Plate meet along the San Andreas
Fault)
P. 91, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation ( ↑ | ↓ )
29. The crust of the earth which composes the ocean floor has a density that is GREATER than the
density of the earth’s crust which composes the continents. P.P. 84, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game,
Power Point Presentation
30. When plates of dense rock that form the ocean floor (oceanic crust) collide with plates of less dense rock
that form the continents (continental crust) the plates of rock forming the ocean floor will sink and be
pushed beneath the continental plates and be re-melted in the earth’s interior along zones called a(n)
SUBDUCTION zone.
(Example: The Pacific plate is plowing into the North and South American
plates)
P.P. 84 – 85, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power Point Presentation
31. VOLCANOES tend to form along subduction zones when the dense oceanic crust sinks beneath the
less dense continental crust in these areas where it is re-melted inside the earth forming large chambers of
molten rock (magma) beneath the earth’s crust.
P.P. 136, Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power
Point Presentation
32. MOUNTAIN ranges tend to form along convergent plate boundaries where two different continental
plates or oceanic plates of similar density collide.
Video : Continents Adrift, Intro Game, Power
Point Presentation