Question 1

Iceland is a good example of an_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  island arc 
B)  divergent boundary 
C)  collisional mountain chain 
D)  continental arc 
A)  island arc 
B)  divergent boundary 
C)  collisional mountain chain 
D)  continental arc

Question 2

Volcanoes form above subduction zones because_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  the subducting lithosphere melts as it descends and the magma descends deeper into the core 
B)  the asthenosphere is displaced by the subducting lithosphere and rises to the surface to form volcanoes 
C)  the lithosphere thickens above the subducting lithosphere and causes volcanoes to form 
D)  water is squeezed out of the subducting slab and the water triggers melting of the overlying asthenosphere 
A)  the subducting lithosphere melts as it descends and the magma descends deeper into the core 
B)  the asthenosphere is displaced by the subducting lithosphere and rises to the surface to form volcanoes 
C)  the lithosphere thickens above the subducting lithosphere and causes volcanoes to form 
D)  water is squeezed out of the subducting slab and the water triggers melting of the overlying asthenosphere

Question 3

Which of the following is not evidence collected by the Glomar Challenger in support of the Plate Tectonic model?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fossils increase in age with increasing distance from the ridges. 
B)  Sediments get thicker with increasing distance from the ridges. 
C)  Oceanic crust is less than 180 million years old. 
D)  Continental crust is typically several hundred million years old or older. 
A)  Fossils increase in age with increasing distance from the ridges. 
B)  Sediments get thicker with increasing distance from the ridges. 
C)  Oceanic crust is less than 180 million years old. 
D)  Continental crust is typically several hundred million years old or older.

Question 4

Which of the following major discoveries was not made near or after World War II?

Accepted Answer

A)  the extensive ranges of mountain chains on the sea floor 
B)  the absence of rocks older than 200 million years on the sea floor 
C)  deep focus earthquakes that occur in some regions of the earth 
D)  the apparent "fit" of the coastlines of Africa and South Africa 
A)  the extensive ranges of mountain chains on the sea floor 
B)  the absence of rocks older than 200 million years on the sea floor 
C)  deep focus earthquakes that occur in some regions of the earth 
D)  the apparent "fit" of the coastlines of Africa and South Africa

Question 5

New York and London are on two separate plates so the distance between the cities is _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  increasing 
B)  always changing direction 
C)  decreasing 
D)  stationary 
A)  increasing 
B)  always changing direction 
C)  decreasing 
D)  stationary

Question 6

Why did scientists not accept the Continental Drift hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  It did not explain how ocean basins form. 
B)  It was based on observations from the southern hemisphere which was unfamiliar to most geologists. 
C)  It did not include a viable mechanism. 
D)  It was proposed by a woman. 
A)  It did not explain how ocean basins form. 
B)  It was based on observations from the southern hemisphere which was unfamiliar to most geologists. 
C)  It did not include a viable mechanism. 
D)  It was proposed by a woman.

Question 7

Fracture zones associated with transform boundaries are found_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  in subduction zones 
B)  in the continental interior 
C)  at continental volcanic arcs 
D)  at mid- ocean ridges 
A)  in subduction zones 
B)  in the continental interior 
C)  at continental volcanic arcs 
D)  at mid- ocean ridges

Question 8

Briefly explain how magnetic patterns on the seafloor support Plate Tectonic theory.

Accepted Answer

the magnetic patterns of highs and lows

Question 9

Identify the letter in the figure below that corresponds to a mid- ocean ridge

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D

Question 10

As the South Atlantic basin _______by seafloor spreading, Africa and South America are moving_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  narrows; closer together 
B)  widens; closer together 
C)  narrows; further apart 
D)  widens; further apart 
A)  narrows; closer together 
B)  widens; closer together 
C)  narrows; further apart 
D)  widens; further apart

Question 11

Oceanic ridges represent _______percent of the earth's surface.

Accepted Answer

A)  5 
B)  30 
C)  20 
D)  10 
A)  5 
B)  30 
C)  20 
D)  10

Question 12

Briefly explain how deep trenches form.

Accepted Answer

Bending of the downgoing subducting. oce

Question 13

Observe the cartoons below. How do they relate to continental drift and plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A)  It lends credence to continental drift as it indicates movement of continents. 
B)  It is the main basis for the objections to Wegener's theories. 
C)  It could be used to argue against continental motion as the animals find ways to migrate without the continents having moved. 
D)  They show the theory of plate tectonics because they indicate convergence. 
A)  It lends credence to continental drift as it indicates movement of continents. 
B)  It is the main basis for the objections to Wegener's theories. 
C)  It could be used to argue against continental motion as the animals find ways to migrate without the continents having moved. 
D)  They show the theory of plate tectonics because they indicate convergence.

Question 14

The major driving force of Plate Tectonics is _______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  heating of magma near the surface of the lithosphere 
B)  subduction of hot lithosphere 
C)  subduction of cold, dense lithosphere 
D)  decompression melting and the rise of magmas at spreading ridges 
A)  heating of magma near the surface of the lithosphere 
B)  subduction of hot lithosphere 
C)  subduction of cold, dense lithosphere 
D)  decompression melting and the rise of magmas at spreading ridges

Question 15

Which of the following plates is getting significantly smaller?

Accepted Answer

A)  Eurasia 
B)  Pacific 
C)  North America 
D)  Africa 
A)  Eurasia 
B)  Pacific 
C)  North America 
D)  Africa

Question 16

Most deformation occurs along plate boundaries because _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the plates were broken along their boundaries so that is where they are weakest 
B)  plates are rigid in their interior but the boundaries are in the asthenosphere 
C)  the plates are in constant motion and as a result the boundaries are where they interact 
D)  that is where the molten material makes it easy to deform rock 
A)  the plates were broken along their boundaries so that is where they are weakest 
B)  plates are rigid in their interior but the boundaries are in the asthenosphere 
C)  the plates are in constant motion and as a result the boundaries are where they interact 
D)  that is where the molten material makes it easy to deform rock

Question 17

What is GPS Global Positioning System. used for in the study of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A)  It measures paleomagnetism. 
B)  It measures elevation of a plate. 
C)  It measures age of a plate. 
D)  It measures velocity of a plate. 
A)  It measures paleomagnetism. 
B)  It measures elevation of a plate. 
C)  It measures age of a plate. 
D)  It measures velocity of a plate.

Question 18

Earth's radius and surface area are_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  remaining unchanged as subduction rate equals divergence rate 
B)  slowly decreasing as more and more oceanic lithosphere is subducted 
C)  slowly increasing to accommodate the new oceanic crust being formed at mid- ocean ridges 
D)  expanding because atmospheric warming is making the lithosphere larger 
A)  remaining unchanged as subduction rate equals divergence rate 
B)  slowly decreasing as more and more oceanic lithosphere is subducted 
C)  slowly increasing to accommodate the new oceanic crust being formed at mid- ocean ridges 
D)  expanding because atmospheric warming is making the lithosphere larger

Question 19

Wegener thought that _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  there was once one big continent that later broke into several pieces 
B)  there was once one big continent that was later separated by the Atlantic Ocean 
C)  there were once several continents that recombined to form the continents we have today 
D)  there were once two big continents that were separated later by the Atlantic Ocean 
A)  there was once one big continent that later broke into several pieces 
B)  there was once one big continent that was later separated by the Atlantic Ocean 
C)  there were once several continents that recombined to form the continents we have today 
D)  there were once two big continents that were separated later by the Atlantic Ocean

Question 20

Explain briefly why a divergent plate boundary is also called a "constructive margin or boundary."

Accepted Answer

Divergent plate boundaries are

Exam 4: Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Revolution Unfolds

Iceland is a good example of an_______ .

Volcanoes form above subduction zones because_______ .

Which of the following is not evidence collected by the Glomar Challenger in support of the Plate Tectonic model?

Which of the following major discoveries was not made near or after World War II?

New York and London are on two separate plates so the distance between the cities is _______.

Why did scientists not accept the Continental Drift hypothesis?

Fracture zones associated with transform boundaries are found_______ .

Briefly explain how magnetic patterns on the seafloor support Plate Tectonic theory.

Identify the letter in the figure below that corresponds to a mid- ocean ridge

As the South Atlantic basin _______by seafloor spreading, Africa and South America are moving_______ .

Oceanic ridges represent _______percent of the earth's surface.

Briefly explain how deep trenches form.

Observe the cartoons below. How do they relate to continental drift and plate tectonics?

The major driving force of Plate Tectonics is _______ .

Which of the following plates is getting significantly smaller?

Most deformation occurs along plate boundaries because _______.

What is GPS Global Positioning System. used for in the study of plate tectonics?

Earth's radius and surface area are_______ .

Wegener thought that _______.

Explain briefly why a divergent plate boundary is also called a "constructive margin or boundary."

Introduction to Earth Science

Matter and Minerals

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movement

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind

Geologic Time

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

World Climates and Global Climate Change

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Light, Telescopes, and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters

As the South Atlantic basin _by seafloor spreading, Africa and South America are moving_ .