Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

EARTH SCIENCE > Mechanisms of Plate Movements > Flashcards

Mechanisms of Plate Movements Flashcards

(94 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Forces the either pull the tectonic plates apart of push them toward each other.

A

Driving forces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the 3 mechanisms/driving forces of plate tectonics?

A

Mantle convection, ridge push and slab pull

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Giant pieces of the Earth’s crust that fit together and move around on the Earth’s surface.

A

Tectonic plates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

TRUE OR FALSE
Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and ocean floors are constantly moving in response to the movements in the mantle.

A

TRUE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

It states gravity and the plates are the ones responsible for the tectonics through subduction process.

A

Slab pull theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What term when continents and ocean basins have always been permanent features on the Earth’s surface?

A

Permanentism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What do you call when the rotation of the Earth created a centrifugal force towards the equator which broke the continents apart?

A

Pole-fleeing force

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

It helped revolutionize our understanding of the geology of the seafloor.

A

Seafloor mapping and the first detailed map of the ocean floor in 1957.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

Continental drift theory was widely accepted in the early ’90s.

A

FALSE, not widely accepted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why the Continental Drift Theory was not widely accepted?

A

Due to the lack of a clear driving mechanism.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

Seafloor spreading shows how crust is formed on ridges and subducts or gets destroyed in trenches.

A

TRUE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

The gravity driven mechanism involves what forces?

A

Ridge push and slab pull

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What theory is currently accepted mechanism of the continental drift.

A

Mantle Convection Theory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why the Mantle Convection Theory is currently the accepted mechanism of the continental drift?

A

Due to the energy given by the Earth’s internal heat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is circulating all throughout the mantle by the earth’s interior and surface temperature differences?

A

Convection current

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

This force takes place when a subducting plate sinks into the mantle.

A

Slab pull

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

It contains material less dense than the crustal plates riding above it.

A

Asthenosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

It acts as a massive shear zone for the over-riding plate.

A

Asthenosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

TRUE OR FALSE
Since the plate gets thicker and denser
further away from the spreading center, the ridge push force will increase towards the
orogenic belt.

A

FALSE, towards the subduction zone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

This force happens between 2 colliding crustal plates where one is subducting under the other.

A

Slab (trench) suction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

This force acts as a plate collides with another plate. It occurs only at subduction
zone wherein the subducting plate exerts a force directly onto the over-riding buoyant
plate which acts to oppose the forces driving the subduction.

A

Slab resistance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

This convection current acts as a ______________,

wherein the lithospheric plates above were carried along with it.

A

Conveyor belt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

TRUE OR FALSE
Plate with a slab subducting into the mantle moves slower towards
the subduction zone than those plates without a slab.

A

FALSE, moves faster

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

TRUE OR FALSE
In slab pull, as the plate sinks into the mantle, it acts to pull the rest of the
plate behind it.

A

TRUE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
IDENTIFY In slab (trench) suction, As the plate subducts, it creates ______________ in the upper mantle that exert a pulling force, which acts to suck both the plates together.
convection currents
26
It oppose the movement of driving forces.
Resisting forces
27
They generate shearing or | frictional forces resisting the movement of lithospheric plates.
Resisting forces
28
The force that directly opposes the slab pull.
Collisional resistance
29
It occurs as the heavy basaltic plate is pulled down into the mantle. The collisional force occurs because the mantle, although less dense than the subducting plate, still resists subduction to some extent due to friction.
Collisional resistance
30
This force occurs when the spreading center along a ridge is broken by several kilometers, the broken plates slide past each other and form a transform fault.
Transform fault resistance
31
IDENTIFY Since the movement is opposite, the plates encounter ____________ in the contact zones.
frictional resistance
32
This force is the resistance or dragging force associated with the interface between the upper mantle and the lithosphere.
Drag force
33
It is the force that directly opposes the | movement of crustal plates.
Drag force
34
IDENTIFY | Any individual plate contains __________ and/or __________ crust.
Oceanic, continental
35
Plate boundaries are defined by what?
Active seismic and volcanic activity
36
What are the 2 main classes that characterized the forces acting on the plates?
Driving and resisting forces
37
What are the 4 driving forces?
Mantle convection, slab pull, ridge push and slab (trench) suction
38
What are the 4 resisting forces?
Slab resistance, collisional resistance, transform fault resistance and drag force
39
Occurs when warm mantle currents drive and carry plates of lithosphere along like a conveyor belt.
Mantle convection
40
What is the source of heat from convection?
radioactive materials
41
How does convection cause plate tectonics?
By the ridge push and slab pull
42
IDENTIFY | Slab suction compared to slab pull is _________.
weaker
43
Considered as the strongest of the driving forces.
Slab pull
44
What is the main effect of the underlying mantle?
Produce a shearing or frictional force resisting the motion of lithospheric plates.
45
TRUE OR FALSE The resisting force of the mantle as the slab tries to force it way through is weaker than the shearing on the top and bottom of the descending slab.
FALSE, stronger than the shearing
46
TRUE OR FALSE Friction between the converging plates and also the force required to bend a plate resist the movement of the plate at subduction zones.
TRUE
47
What geological features are formed when driving forces are at work?
Mountains, mountain ranges, volcanoes, ocean trenches, plateaus and valleys
48
Factors affecting plate movement.
Gravity, density and convection currents
49
TRUE OR FALSE | The more dense a plate is, the more likely it will sink.
TRUE
50
IDENTIFY | _____________ beneath the plates causes the plates to move.
Convection currents
51
Acts as a thermostat and keeps the Earth balmy.
Substances like carbon dioxide
52
TRUE OR FALSE | Plate tectonics do not affect humans in several important ways.
FALSE, plate tectonics affect humans
53
What would Earth be like without plate tectonics?
Fewer earthquakes and volcanic activity. Less mountains and no deep-sea trenches.
54
TRUE OR FALSE | New landmasses will be formed on the middle of divergent boundaries.
TRUE
55
Why plates continue to collide?
Because it has the same materials
56
How mountain ranges are formed?
Through collision
57
TRUE OR FALSE | Plates move by themselves.
TRUE
58
What do you call when heat energy is released?
Nuclear fission
59
It is the process in transferring heat.
Convection
60
What is the term when the heat of the core was transferred to the crust by the mantle?
Thermal convection
61
TRUE OR FALSE | Convection current is about the cycle of magma.
TRUE
62
It is used to determine the movement of the plates.
GPS System
63
Regarded as the most important theory ever developed in the field of geology.
Plate tectonic theory
64
IDENTIFY | Heat can be transferred from one place to another through a process called ____________.
Convection
65
IDENTIFY | One driving force behind plate tectonics is ________________.
Mantle Convection
66
Where does subduction process happens?
At the outer edges of plates.
67
Why old rocks/slabs are subducted in slab pull?
Due to gravitational forces
68
For oceanic-oceanic subduction, what will be subducted since it is denser?
Older and colder oceanic plate
69
What are the 2 main driving forces of movement of plates?
heat and gravity
70
Why does the outer part of mantle is in liquid form?
Due to the intense temperature
71
It is the opposite of convection. An example of this is when you can feel the heat from one end to another.
Conduction
72
IDENTIFY | Convection deals with ____________.
temperature
73
A cycle of distribution of heat. Kapag yung liquid or gas ay mas malapit sa mainit, gagaan at papaibabaw. Papalitan nya yung cold materials sa itaas na mabigat, yun naman ang bababa close to the outer core.
Mantle Convection process
74
hotter = _______
less dense
75
TRUE OR FALSE | The mantle convection process will take millions of years to complete.
TRUE
76
Where does the subducting plate happens?
It sinks into the mantle.
77
What zone that has subducting plates?
Subduction zone
78
TRUE OR FALSE Slab pull, it is the gravity that is pulling the slabs. As well as the mantle convection, the slabs are pulling downward into the mantle.
TRUE
79
What is the result of a slab pull?
Ridge push
80
What is an example of ridge push?
Seafloor spreading
81
TRUE OR FALSE Paikot-ikot yung mantle convection kaya nahihila yung asthenosphere, then may tutulak na magma. Hihilahin rin pababa ng slab push. Kapag tinulak, magkakaroon ng slab pull.
TRUE
82
TRUE OR FALSE | Convection traction, ridge push and slab pull are sometimes on cycle.
FALSE, always on cycle
83
What is mostly encountered in resisting forces?
Friction
84
Even though tectonics plates are continuous in movement, it can still stop (hindi kaya nito magtuloy-tuloy). What force is being referred here?
Resisting force
85
Why there are friction?
Because of the materials.
86
Natural forces that act upon on Earth.
Gravity
87
It talks about the composition of a material or plate has. If it has a greater density, it will sink.
Density
88
Factors affecting plate movements.
Gravity, density and convection currents
89
TRUE OR FALSE Because of the plate movements, it led to the formation of the 7 continents and will also experience earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
TRUE
90
What is being compared to the mantle convection theory because of its cycle?
Conveyor belt
91
Slab pull : ?
Gravity/gravitational pull
92
What are ways to transfer heat?
Convection, conduction and radiation
93
TRUE OR FALSE | An example of radiation is the sun and microwave since it is has a source of heat.
TRUE
94
TRUE OR FALSE | Ice cooling down your hand is an example of convection.
FALSE, it is an example of conduction

EARTH SCIENCE (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions