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- 1. Multiple Choice
Which statement is supported by the Theory of Continental Drift?
Continents move due to changes in the tilt of the Earth's axis.N
Continents move due to changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Present-day continents of South America and Africa are moving toward each other.
Present-day continents of South America and Africa once fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
- 2. Multiple Choice
P waves can pass through the outer core, but S waves cannot. What does this suggest?uzzle.
The outer core is solid in nature.
The outer core is a molten liquid.
S waves travel faster than P waves.
P waves travel faster than S waves.
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which is the order of the Earth's interior from surface to center?
crust, outer core, mantle, inner core
crust, mantle, inner core, outer core
inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
- 4. Multiple Choice
What causes the Earth's crustal plates to move?
revolution of the Earth around the Sun
convection currents in the Earth's mantle
volcanism within the Earth's lithosphere
the rotation of the Earth on its axis
- 5. Multiple Choice
Which is true about the location of the asthenosphere?
It is located just above the lithosphere.
It is located in the lower part of the mantle.
It is located in the upper part of the mantle.
It is located in the inner core.
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which statement is true according to the theory of plate tectonics?
Lithospheric plates are destroyed at the mid-ocean ridges.
Continents drift because they rest on lithospheric plates that move.
Lithospheric plates move because the inner core of the Earth is liquid.
Transform boundaries form when two lithospheric plates collide.
- 7. Multiple Choice
What is the primary cause for continental drift, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions?
heat from the Earth's core
convection currents in the mantle
rotation on the Earth's axis
erosion of the Earth's crust
- 8. Multiple Choice
Why do geologists drill through the oceanic crust in their attempt to reach the mantle?
It is softer than the continental crust.
It is thinner than the continental crust.
It is younger than the continental crust.
It is less dense than the continental crust.
- 9. Multiple Choice
What is the point on the Earth's surface that lies directly above the site where an earthquake occurred?
epicenter
focus
fault line
seismic wave
- 10. Multiple Choice
Which event usually causes tsunamis?
typhoon or hurricane
undersea earthquake
volcanic eruption
rotation of the Earth
- 11. Multiple Choice
What evidence supports the theory that continents were once a large landmass?
The continents share a similar climate.
Similar fossils have been found on different continents.
Minerals like gold and copper are found worldwide.
Coconut trees are found on coastlines.
- 12. Multiple Choice
Which statement describes the geologic processes taking place at a subduction zone?
A less dense oceanic plate slides on top of a more dense continental plate creating some new crust.
A less dense continental plate slides on top of a more dense oceanic plate creating some new crust.
A more dense continental plate slides under a less dense oceanic plate destroying some crust.
A more dense oceanic plate slides under a less dense continental plate destroying some crust.
- 13. Multiple Choice
The San Andreas Fault in California is caused by the Pacific Plate sliding horizontally along the North American Plate. Many earthquakes occur along this fault. What type of fault results from this type of plate boundary movement?
convergent
divergent
subduction
transform
- 14. Multiple Choice
When the oceanic crust and the continental crust push toward each other, the oceanic crust sinks beneath the continental crust. Which statement explains why this process occurs?
The oceanic crust is more dense than the continental crust.
The continental crust is more dense than the oceanic crust.
The continental crust is thinner than the oceanic crustust.
The oceanic crust is made of lighter weight rock than the continental crust.
- 15. Multiple Choice
When rock underground suddenly breaks along a transform plate boundary due to extreme pressure that has built up, a release of energy occurs resulting in what type of geologic activity?
earthquakes
mountain range formation
sea-floor spreading
volcanoes
- 16. Multiple Choice
Geologists believe that millions of years ago all the continents were united and formed which supercontinent?
Atlantis
Eurasia
Gondwanaland
Pangaea
- 17. Multiple Choice
What is the point on the Earth's surface that lies directly above the site where an earthquake occurred?
epicenter
fault line
seismic wave
tsunami
- 18. Multiple Choice
Which is true about the comparison of continental crust to oceanic crust?
The continental crust is thinner and denser than oceanic crust.
The continental crust is thicker and denser than oceanic crust.
The continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.
The continental crust is thinner and less dense than oceanic crust.
- 19. Multiple Choice
In 1912, Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift, stating that all the continents were once
joined together and slowly moved apart. However, his theory was not widely accepted in his time. In
1962, the discovery of sea floor spreading (sea floor being forced apart by the formation of new crust)
eventually led to a more modern and widely accepted theory of plate tectonics.
Why did the theory of plate tectonics improve upon Wegener’s theory of continental drift?
The theory of plate tectonics was a less complete theory because it provided a reason and mechanism for why the plates and continents moved.
The theory of plate tectonics was a more complete theory because it failed to provide reasons and mechanisms for why the plates and continents moved.
The theory of plate tectonics was a less complete theory because it failed to provide complete reasons and mechanisms for why the plates and continents moved.
The theory of plate tectonics was a more complete theory because it provided a reason and mechanism for why the plates and continents moved.
- 20. Multiple Choice
How do rock samples collected from the sea floor provide evidence of tectonic plate movement?
Older rocks are found near the deep-ocean trenches.
Older rocks are near the center of mid-ocean ridges.
Younger rocks are near the deep-ocean trenches.
Younger rocks are mixed with older rocks at mid-ocean ridges.
- 21. Multiple Choice
At a dip-slip fault, pieces of land along the fault change position vertically when compared to one another. With this information, a student concludes that Earth's crust was uplifted years ago due to tectonic movements.
If fossils provide evidence for Earth's history, which evidence would help the student justify this conclusion?
fossils of marine animals found in ocean beds
fossils of marine animals found in the mountains
fossils of land animals found in deep oceanic trenches
fossils of land animals found in recent igneous intrusions
- 22. Multiple Choice
Researchers observed that the mountain ranges on the east coast of Argentina and Brazil in South America match the mountain ranges on the west coast of South Africa and Ghana in Africa in age and composition. The researchers observed that the rock layers of the two ranges match perfectly if the coastlines of the two continents are lined up. They claimed that these pieces of evidence support the Theory of Plate Tectonics.
Which argument supports the researchers' claim?
The mountain ranges are similar in age and rock strata across all seven continents. movement?
The continents of Africa and South America were once connected and drifted apart as the plates moved.
The continents of Africa and South America were formed at the same time due to similar tectonic forces.
The geological features are similar due to the similar climates found on the two continents.
- 23. Multiple Choice
Which outcome would classify a volcanic eruption as constructive?
formation of a crater
formation of an island
destruction of a landform
destruction of a forest
- 24. Multiple Choice
Which causes tsunamis?
typhoons or hurricanes
undersea earthquakes
volcanic eruption
Earth's rotation
- 25. Multiple Choice
The vast majority of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur near plate boundaries, but there are some exceptions. The Hawaiian Islands, which are entirely of volcanic origin, have formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the Pacific Plate.
Regions exist below the plates which provide localized sources of high heat energy to sustain volcanism. What are these regions called?
subduction zones
hot spots
convection centers
asthenosphere thermals
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