The Dynamic Earth: A Quiz on Plate Tectonics and Pangea

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

• The theory that the Earth is flat

• The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle

• The theory that the continents do not move

• The theory that the Earth is cooling down rapidly

What was Pangea?

• A type of dinosaur

• A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras

• A theory about the moon

• A type of ancient plant

What causes the plates to move?

• Wind

• Earthquakes

• Convection currents in the mantle

• The rotation of the Earth

What happens at divergent plate boundaries?

• Plates move towards each other

• Plates slide past each other

• Plates move away from each other

• Plates do not move

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

• A deep trench in the ocean

• A mountain range on land

• An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics

• A large island in the ocean

What evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

• The shape of the continents

• Fossil records

• The distribution of mountain ranges

• All of the above

What are tectonic plates made of?

• Water

• The crust and the upper part of the mantle

• The core of the Earth

• Rocks from space

What is the Ring of Fire?

• A ring where Earth's largest and most active volcanoes are found

• A theory about the sun

• A movie

• A geological theory about the formation of mountains

How did the breakup of Pangea affect plant and animal distribution?

• It had no effect

• It caused all dinosaurs to become extinct

• It led to the isolation and diverse evolution of species on different continents

• It caused all species to become aquatic

What is subduction?

• When a tectonic plate moves under another plate

• When two plates collide and form mountains

• When plates move away from each other

• When a plate breaks into two pieces