Plate Motion

A __________ is the place where two plates meet.

• Tectonic Plate

• Plate Boundary

• Convergent Zone

• Trench

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which statement best describes Earth's outer layer?

• Earth's outer layer is made up of a soft solid material.

• Earth's outer layer is made up of hard, solid rock.

• Earth's outer layer is a combination of hard, solid rock and a soft, solid material.

• Earth's outer layer is made up of hard, solid rock or water; it depends on where you go.

Earth's plates are a __________ solid material. Earth's mantle is a ________ solid material.

• Soft; hard

• Hard; soft

• Soft; soft

• Hard; hard

The South American and African plates are diverging at a rate of about _________ per year.

• 18.5 cm

• 1 cm

• 3 cm

• 50 cm

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

When developing the idea of continental drift, Wegener could notice all of the following EXCEPT

• Matching fossils on different continents

• Noticing how far the continents move each year

• Similar mountain ranges and rock types across different continents

• The shapes of the continents look like puzzle pieces

Earth's plates change position ___________ due to plate motion.

• suddenly

• gradually

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

_____ is the technology scientists use to measure how fast the plates move.

• RNS

• GPS

• Infrared waves

• Pencil and paper

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which statement best describes what Earth's outer layer is like underneath the soil and water in the image?

• Underneath both the soil and the ocean, Earth’s outer layer is made of sand and water.

• Underneath both the soil and the ocean, Earth’s outer layer is made of hard, solid rock.

• Underneath the soil, Earth’s outer layer is made of hard, solid rock. Underneath the ocean, Earth’s outer layer is made of sand.

• Underneath both the soil and the ocean, Earth's outer layer is made of water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Similar rock formations have been discovered in the U.S. and Portugal. These rock formations formed at the same time and are made of the same types of rocks. What could explain how these rocks got so far apart?

• The US and Portugal are parts of different plates. The plates floated away from each other across the ocean

• The US and Portugal are parts of different plates. The plates were sometimes pushed far apart by earthquakes

• The US and Portugal are parts of different plates. The plates slowly moved apart as new plates from underneath got added between them

• The US and Portugal are parts of different plates. The plates slowly moved far apart as soft, solid rock from underneath got added to the edges of the plates

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Fossil remains of Lystrosaurus (an extinct four-legged animal) have been discovered in India and South Africa. When they were alive, all the Lystrosaurus lived together on land, and they could not swim. However, now there is an ocean between the Lystrosaurus fossils. What could explain how these fossils got so far apart?

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

• India and South Africa are parts of different plates. The plates floated away from each other across the ocean.

• India and South Africa are parts of different plates. Earthquakes caused the plates to slowly move apart as new plates from underneath got added between them over millions of years.

• India and South Africa were part of the same plate millions of years ago. The plate was cracked into two and pushed far apart by earthquakes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3