Amplify Chapter 2 and 3 Flashcard

Front

What is the Earth's outer layer made of underneath the soil and ocean?

Back

The Earth's outer layer is made of hard, solid rock underneath both the soil and the ocean.

Front

What do patterns on a geological map indicate about volcanic activity and earthquakes?

Back

Patterns on a geological map indicate that volcanic activity and earthquakes happened in similar areas.

Front

What happens between tectonic plates that are moving apart?

Back

Soft, solid rock from underneath the plates rises and hardens, adding solid rock to the edges of both plates.

Front

How can the presence of Mesosaurus fossils in South America and Africa be explained?

Back

South America and Africa were once part of a single landmass that later split apart, separating the fossils.

Front

What explains the separation of Cynognathus fossils found in Argentina and South Africa?

Back

Argentina and South Africa are parts of different plates that slowly moved apart as soft, solid rock from underneath got added to the edges of the plates over millions of years.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

A tectonic plate is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock that makes up the Earth's lithosphere.

Front

What is the theory of continental drift?

Back

The theory of continental drift suggests that continents were once joined together and have since drifted apart.

Front

What is the significance of fossil distribution in understanding plate tectonics?

Back

Fossil distribution helps scientists understand how continents have moved over time and supports the theory of plate tectonics.

Front

What is the role of volcanic activity in plate tectonics?

Back

Volcanic activity can create new landforms and contribute to the movement of tectonic plates by adding material to their edges.

Front

What evidence supports the idea that continents were once connected?

Back

Similar fossils and geological formations found on different continents support the idea that they were once connected.