Plate Tectonics

Stacey and her family are hiking in Olympic National Park in the state of Washington. Stacey is pointing out the valleys and explaining how they form. She knows that glaciers are still in the park. What evidence does Stacey look for to determine whether the valleys were formed by glaciers?

• valleys with lots of trees on either side because as the glaciers retreated they deposited seeds picked up from other areas
• valleys with lots of fossils in the rock layers because as the glaciers were increasing in size, the ice preserved remains of organisms
• valleys that are V-shaped because when the glaciers melted, the flowing water quickly cut down through rock
• valleys that are U-shaped because when the glaciers slowly moved through the area they scraped away and smoothed the rock

Which observations about the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains would support the claim that exposure to weathering and erosion over time can change landforms?

• The Appalachian Mountains are found in the eastern United States and the Rocky Mountains are found nearer the west coast.
• The shorter and more rounded Appalachian Mountains are more than four times older than the taller and more jagged Rocky Mountains.
• The length of the Appalachian chain is approximately 2,400 kilometers and the Rocky Mountains chain is about twice as long.
• The Appalachian Mountains are composed mostly of sedimentary rocks while the Rocky Mountains also contain other rock types.

Evie is studying sketches of two different volcanoes. Which choice best explains why Volcano A looks different from Volcano B?

• Volcano A was formed by very viscous lava.
• Volcano B was formed by very viscous lava.
• Volcano A was formed by ash only.
• Volcano B was formed by ash only.

Volcanoes erupt hot, liquid magma. What type of rock do volcanoes produce?

• metamorphic
• sedimentary
• igneous
• both igneous and metamorphic

According to the theory of plate tectonics, what process occurs at a transform boundary?

• Two tectonic plates move away from each other.
• Two tectonic plates slide past each other.
• One tectonic plate moves up and over another.
• Two tectonic plates push into each other.

________________________ also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. The majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place along this area. This place is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

• Ring of Fire
• Engagement Ring
• Plate tectonics
• Pangaea

What type of fault is depicted in the diagram? A type of fault where the hanging wall slides downward; caused by tension in the crust

• reverse fault
• normal fault
• strike-slip fault
• transform fault

At a reverse fault plates are being pressed together creating what kind of stress? A reverse fault is a type of fault where the hanging wall slides upward; caused by compression in the crust.

• shearing
• tension
• stretching
• compression

Which of these would you expect to see during a nonexplosive eruption?

• giant fountains of lava and rock
• clouds of ash darkening the sky
• a mountainside caving in
• huge lava flows

Volcanoes erupt hot, liquid magma. What type of rock do volcanoes produce?

• metamorphic
• sedimentary
• igneous
• both igneous and metamorphic