Oceanography - Plate Tectonics

Deep ocean trenches are associated with: A: the mid-ocean ridge. B: subduction zones. C: submarine canyons. D: transform faults. E: rift valleys.

B: subduction zones.

Moving from an oceanic ridge to an oceanic trench, the thickness of the lithosphere: A: increases in proportion to the distance. B: randomly varies. C: decreases in proportion to the distance. D: remains the same. E: is unrelated to the distance from the ridge.

A: increases in proportion to the distance.

Coral reefs: A: were first described by Christopher Columbus during his voyage to the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola. B: form when underwater volcanoes are thrust upward during a tectonic event. C: include atolls, barrier, and fringing reefs. can be found at latitudes above 60°. D: are most common in the tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean basin.

C: include atolls, barrier, and fringing reefs. can be found at latitudes above 60°.

The San Andreas Fault: A: is an oceanic transform fault. B: is located in the Juan de Fuca Plate. C: is a continental transform fault. D: is associated with deep focus earthquakes.

C: is a continental transform fault.

Tectonic plates are pieces of the ________ that float on the more fluid ________ below. A: mantle; crust B: lithosphere; mesosphere C: lithosphere; asthenosphere D: asthenosphere; lithosphere E: crust; lithosphere

C: lithosphere; asthenosphere

Wegener used all the following to provide evidence for continental drift except : A: shape of continental margins. B: age of selected continental rocks. C: seafloor magnetic pattern. D: apparent polar wandering. E: location of coral reef fossils.

C: seafloor magnetic pattern.

Which of the following is characteristic of continental-continental convergent plate boundaries? A: hot spots B: volcanic island arcs C: uplifted mountain ranges D: mid-ocean ridges

C: uplifted mountain ranges

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Please identify the word and/or phrase that does NOT fit the pattern. Enter only the letter of the answer (caps, no period, and not the full entry) in the field below. A. convergent plate boundary B. volcanic arc C. island arc D. rift valley E. continental arc

D : Rift Valley

Coral reefs that initially develop along the margin of an island or continent where environmental conditions are suitable are called: A: barrier reefs. B: patch reefs. C: atolls. D: fringing reefs.

D: fringing reefs.

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Please identify the word and/or phrase that does NOT fit the pattern. Enter only the letter of the answer (caps, no period, and not the full entry) in the field below. A. divergent plate boundary B. oceanic-continental convergence C. oceanic-oceanic convergence D. transform plate boundary E. hot spot

E : Hot spot

Evidence for continental drift includes: A: matching sequences of rocks and mountain chains. B: past glacial activity. C: the fit of the continents. D: the distribution of organisms. E: all the above.

E: all the above.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of a: A: convergent plate boundary (continent-continent). B: convergent plate boundary (continent-oceanic). C: convergent plate boundary (oceanic-oceanic). D: transform fault boundary. E: divergent plate boundary.

E: divergent plate boundary.

The Hawaiian Islands are located where the Pacific plate is: A: being thrust over the North American plate. B: being subducted beneath the North American plate. C: diving under Japan. D: being subducted beneath Japan. E: moving over a hot spot or mantle plume.

E: moving over a hot spot or mantle plume.

Fossils of ancient tropical plants are currently found near the poles because the: A: poles were at the equator at times in the geologic past. B: entire earth had warm, humid conditions at the time the plants were living. C: plants probably were tolerant of both tropical and polar conditions. D: plants were distributed to current locations by ancient glacial ice sheets. E: plants lived in the tropics, but landmasses have drifted to current locations.

E: plants lived in the tropics, but landmasses have drifted to current locations.

Convergent plate boundaries occur when tectonic plates move away from each other. True False

False

New crust is formed at trenches and older crust is subducted at oceanic ridges. True False

False

The majority of the world's hotspots are associated with plate boundaries. True False

False

The oldest rocks are located at mid-ocean ridges. True False

False

At divergent plate boundaries, usually only shallow depth earthquakes can be found. True False

True

Deep-sea trenches are found at convergent plate boundaries. True False

True

Iceland is geologically active because it is located along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. True False

True

The Wilson Cycle uses plate tectonic processes to show the life cycles of ocean basins during their growth, formation, and destruction over geologic time. True False

True

A rift valley may be associated with divergent plate boundaries. True False

True

Areas of intense volcanic activity that remain in more or less the same location over long periods of geologic time and are unrelated to plate boundaries are called hotspots. True False

True