Openscied 6.4 Plate Tectonics

Off the coast of South America along the Peru-Chile trench, the oceanic Nazca plate is being pushed under the continental South American plate. As a result, the South American plate is being lifted up. Which landform is being created along these plate boundaries?

• The Nazca Plate will slide under the South American Plate and lead to volcano formation.

• The Nazca Plate will slide under the South American Plate and form a rift valley.

• The two plates will slide away from each other and form a mid-ocean ridge.

• The two plates will slide away from each other and lead to earthquakes.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Hard-boiled eggs have often been used to model the layers of Earth’s interior. Which choice describes how heat would move through Earth’s layers?

• a. Within the yolk only
• b. From the shell to the yolk
• c. From the yolk to the white
• d. Around the yolk in the white

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NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Earth’s crust is made up of tectonic plates. This diagram shows two plates found under the Himalaya Mountains. Which of the following statements best describes the tectonic plates shown in the diagram?

• a. Two convergent plates, one continental and one oceanic

• b. Two convergent continental plates

• c. Two divergent continental plates

• d. Two divergent plates, one continental and one oceanic

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The Great Rift Valley in Africa is a land feature on Earth’s surface caused by the movement of crustal plates. Continued movement of the plates is gradually making the rift deeper. How are the plates around the Great Rift Valley moving?

• a. The plates are colliding.
• b. One plate is sliding beneath a less dense plate.
• c. The plates are grinding against one another along a fault
• d. The plates are spreading apart and moving in opposite directions.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Different plate boundaries lead to certain events above and below the surface. Where are most mountains on Earth formed?

• a. At volcanic chains
• b. At strike slip faults
• d. At convergent plate boundaries
• c. At mid-ocean ridges

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Volcanoes can form when certain plates interact. Which of the following would be the least likely cause of a volcanic eruption?

• a. Tectonic plates colliding

• b. Gas pressure within Earth’s crust

• Tectonic plates sliding past each other

• d. New magma flowing into an already full magma chamber

An area along the rim of the Pacific Ocean has so many volcanoes it is often referred to as the "Ring of Fire." Why are there so many more volcanoes in this area than in the center of the African continent?

• The transformational plate boundaries that surround Africa keep volcanoes from forming there.

• The water is warmer in the Pacific Ocean than the water near Africa, so more volcanoes are able to form and erupt.

• There are many more transform plates in the Pacific Ocean rim area than there are around Africa, so more volcanoes can form there.

• The Pacific Ocean has many convergent plate boundaries, which release more energy than the divergent plate boundaries found in Africa.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

What happens at a transform tectonic plate boundary?

• Two tectonic plates pulls away from one another.
• Two tectonic plates push towards one another.
• Two tectonic plates slide against each other.

Volcanoes often form at convergent plate boundaries. Which set of arrows represents a convergent plate boundary?

• > <
• < >
• ^ ^
• ^ v

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

A plate boundary is a place where two tectonic plates meet. There are several types of tectonic plate boundaries. Which statement below shows the correct definition of a tectonic plate boundary?

• At a transform boundary, plates move apart.
• At a convergent boundary, plates slide past each other.
• At a divergent boundary, one plate sinks under another plate.
• At a divergent boundary, plates separate.