Earth Science Ch2 Quiz

Plate tectonics theory was widely accepted by scientists in what decade? 1990s 1930s 1920s 1960s

1960s

The Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands located in the middle of the Pacific Plate, extend northwest across the Pacific as shown in the figure. The island of Hawaii is the youngest, and the islands get progressively older to the northwest. How are the positions of the islands explained by plate tectonic theory? A hot spot moves toward the southeast through the mantle and under the Pacific Plate. Microplates break loose from the Pacific Plate as it moves, leaving this chain of islands in its wake. A hot spot is currently situated under Hawaii and the Pacific Plate is moving across it in a northwesterly direction. The Pacific Plate is undergoing rifting, starting at the northwest end of the chain and extending southeast to Hawaii.

A hot spot is currently situated under Hawaii and the Pacific Plate is moving across it in a northwesterly direction.

Accretionary prisms form as a result of what process? Subduction Rifting Divergence Transform motion

subduction

East Africa and the Basin and the Range Province of the United States are examples of a passive continental margin. transform plate boundary. continental rift. subduction zone.

continental rift

Identify the plate boundary in the image. Seafloor spreading Divergent Transform Convergent

Convergent

Which of the following statements about lithosphere and asthenosphere is TRUE? Lithosphere and asthenosphere are both rigid. Asthenosphere consists of the middle and lower mantle, and is mantle material that is cooler than 1280°C. Lithosphere consists of the crust and the upper mantle, and behaves like a hard layer that breaks and bends. Lithospheric mantle has a composition that is different from asthenospheric mantle.

Lithosphere consists of the crust and the upper mantle, and behaves like a hard layer that breaks and bends

Which of the following was used as evidence by Wegener to develop the theory of continental drift? The process of subduction The presence of matching mountain chains on continents currently separated by oceans The process of seafloor spreading The presence of earthquakes in seismic belts along trenches, ridges, and fracture zones

The presence of matching mountain chains on continents currently separated by oceans

Why is the lithosphere rigid while the asthenosphere is not? The temperature in the asthenosphere is higher than the lithosphere so the rock is softer. The pressure in the asthenosphere is lower than the lithosphere so the rock is softer. There are more rigid minerals in the lithosphere than in the asthenosphere. There are more plates making up the lithosphere.

The temperature in the asthenosphere is higher then the lithosphere so the rock is softer

Identify the plate boundary in the image. Convergent Seafloor spreading Transform Divergent

Transform

Plate tectonics theory took decades to be accepted because climate, fossil distributions, and land shape offered conflicting evidence. Wegener couldn't explain how continents moved. most of Wegener's ideas turned out to be wrong. his research was not well known in the scientific community.

Wegener couldn't explain how continents moved

The Himalayas are currently growing because at their location an oceanic plate is converging with a continental plate and subducting. a continental plate is colliding with another continental plate. two plates are moving past each other at a transform plate boundary. two continental plates are diverging.

a continental plate is colliding with another continental plate

The chain of volcanoes along the west coast of South America (the Andes Mountains) exists because an oceanic plate is rifting apart from the western edge of the South American Plate. an oceanic plate is sliding past the western edge of the South American Plate. basalt is pushing up through the trench that parallels the west coast of South America. an oceanic plate is subducting under the western edge of the South American Plate.

an oceanic plate is subducting under the western edge of the South American Plate

The rate of plate motion cannot be measured directly. can range from 1 to 15 km per year. can range from 1 to 15 cm per year. can range from 1 to 15 m per year.

can range from 1 to 15cm per year

By using GPS data, scientists have been able to directly observe plate motions. show that only oceanic plates are moving. show that only the continents are moving. track the movement of mantle plumes.

directly observe plate motions

Earth's magnetic field is created primarily by the flow of liquid iron alloy in Earth's molten outer core. air currents blowing across Earth's crust. convection of iron-rich minerals in Earth's mantle. tilt of Earth's rotational axis.

flow of liquid iron alloy in Earth's molten outer core

Oceanic crust has the same composition as continental crust. has the same age as continental crust. is composed of basalt and lies under a blanket of sediment. has not been sampled directly because it is too deep beneath the ocean.

is composed of basalt and lies under a blanket of sediment

Asthenosphere is warm enough to flow slowly. is subducted when it collides with continental lithosphere. is the uppermost layer of Earth's core. is the lower layer of both continental and oceanic lithosphere.

is warm enough to flow slowly

According to the mantle plume model for the origin of hot spots hot spots occur along subducting plate boundaries. mantle plumes produce volcanoes that do not always coincide with a plate boundary. mantle plumes produce the chains of volcanoes called volcanic arcs. hot spots only occur beneath oceanic plates.

mantle plumes produce volcanoes that do not always coincide with a plate boundary

The center of a mid-ocean ridge is where two continental plates converge. molten basalt subducts into the mantle. new oceanic lithosphere is being created. the oldest and densest oceanic crust is found.

new oceanic lithosphere is being created

During the process of seafloor spreading seafloor is neither formed nor destroyed but spreads apart at ridges. new seafloor is formed at ridges and destroyed at trenches. new seafloor is formed at trenches and destroyed at ridges. seafloor is neither formed nor destroyed and total seafloor volume stays constant.

new seafloor is formed at ridges and destroyed at trenches

The contact between lithospheric plates is called a plate boundary. passive margin. continental shelf. microplate.

plate boundary

The global occurrence of earthquakes reveals that they usually occur at the center of plates. their locations are randomly scattered. the Earth is splitting apart (rifting) at all plate boundaries. they usually occur on the boundaries of plates.

they usually occur on the boundaries of plates

Which of the following has faulting but no volcanic activity? Transform plate boundary Subduction zone Hot spot Continental rift

transform plate boundary

A subducting (or downgoing) plate is always made up of continental lithosphere. is not likely to have earthquakes happen in it. descends into the mantle at an oceanic ridge. will have a trench associated with it.

will have a trench associated with it