Plate Tectonics and Geologic Activity

Question 1

Which theory states that the continents aren’t fixed, and that they slowly move across Earth’s surface?

Answer 1

Alfred Wegener’s theory of continental drift

Question 2

What is the supercontinent from Alfred Wegener’s theory of continental drift called?

Answer 2

Pangaea

Question 3

What is the name of the theory that states that midocean ridges are formed by currents of magma rising from the mantle and that volcanic eruptions create new basaltic ocean floors, which then spread away laterally from the edge?

Answer 3

Seafloor spreading

Question 4

What is the submergence of an oceanic plate beneath an adjoining plate called?

Answer 4

Subduction

Question 5

What are the three types of plate boundary movements?

Answer 5

Divergent, convergent, and transform

Question 6

What happens in convergent boundary movements?

Answer 6

Plates collide and will either crumple together and uplift one of the plates to create mountains, or one of the plates will subduct beneath the other

Question 7

What happens in divergent boundary movements?

Answer 7

Plates pull apart from one another, causing seafloor spreading to fill in the gap between them

Question 8

What happens in transformative boundary movements?

Answer 8

Plates slide horizontally past each other, potentially creating faults

Question 9

What is the process by which a continental plate stretches and thins before breaking apart and leading to the formation of a new ocean basin called?

Answer 9

Continental rifting

Question 10

What is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?

Answer 10

A giant underwater mountain range in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean

Question 11

Where is the Mariana Trench?

Answer 11

Between the Philippines Plate and the Pacific Plate (it was caused by the Pacific Plate subduction beneath the Philippines Plate)

Question 11

Where is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge located?

Answer 11

The middle of the Atlantic Ocean

Question 12

What is the mountain range on the western edge of the Southern American plate called?

Answer 12

The Andes

Question 13

How was the mountain range on the western edge of the Southern American plate formed?

Answer 13

The subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the Southern American Plate in a convergent boundary movement

Question 14

What is the San Andreas Fault?

Answer 14

A large crack in the surface of the Earth between the North American and Pacific Plate

Question 15

Where is the San Andreas Fault?

Answer 15

Between the Northern American Plate (specifically near California) and the Pacific Plate in a transform boundary movement

Question 16

What is a fracture/crack in the Earth’s crust where rocks on either side have moved called?

Answer 16

Fault

Question 17

During subduction, what is created?

Answer 17

Oceanic trenches

Question 18

How was the Mid-Atlantic Ridge formed?

Answer 18

Seafloor spreading

Question 19

Which fault results from tension stress and creates a steeply inclined fault zone with one block sliding down the fault plane?

Answer 19

Normal fault

Question 20

Which fault results from compression stress, with one block sliding up the fault plane?

Answer 20

Reverse fault

Question 21

Which fault results from compression stress and is related to reverse faults, with the compression forcing the upthrown block to override the downthrown block at a relatively low angle?

Answer 21

Thrust fault

Question 22

What is the bending/buckling of rock layers due to compressional stress called?

Answer 22

Folding

Question 23

What does folding cause?

Answer 23

Anticlines and synclines

Question 24

Which fault is the cause of Nevada's mountains?

Answer 24

Normal fault

Question 25

Which force pulls on both ends?

Answer 25

Tensional forces

Question 26

Which force pushes on both ends?

Answer 26

Compressional forces

Question 27

What broad umbrella are the geological processes associated with the eruption of magma onto the Earth's surface, forming volcanoes and other volcanic features held under?

Answer 27

Volcanism

Question 28

What are broad and gently sloping volcanoes with a wide base that primarily erupt basaltic lava called?

Answer 28

Shield volcanoes

Question 29

What are small, steep-sided cone-shaped volcanoes that predominantly erupt cinders and other volcanic debris called?

Answer 29

Cinder cones

Question 30

What are tall, cone-shaped volcanoes with steep sides that erupt alternating layers of lava, ash, and other volcanic debris called?

Answer 30

Composite volcanoes

Question 31

What are the borders of the Pacific Plate where a large concentration of Earth's volcanoes are located called?

Answer 31

The Ring of Fire

Question 32

What are areas within the Earth's mantle where unusually hot rock rises and creates plumes of magma thay can break through the crust and cause volcanic eruptions called?

Answer 32

Hot spots

Question 33

What caused the formation of the Hawaiian Islands?

Answer 33

Hot spots- specifically, the Pacific Plate continued to move over a stationary hot spot, so multiple volcanoes would continue to be created, which later be known as the Hawaiian Islands