Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics

What role do convection currents play in plate tectonics?

• Convection currents in the mantle drive the movement of tectonic plates, causing them to shift and interact.

• Convection currents cool the Earth's surface, preventing tectonic plate movement.

• Convection currents are responsible for the formation of mountains and valleys.

• Convection currents only affect oceanic plates, not continental plates.

What is the theory of continental drift?

• The theory that continents are fixed in their positions and do not move.

• The theory that continents were once joined in a single landmass and have since drifted apart.

• The theory that the Earth's crust is made up of a single solid piece.

• The theory that continents are slowly sinking into the ocean.

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

• Alfred Wegener

• Isaac Newton

• Charles Darwin

• Marie Curie

What is the lithosphere?

• The liquid layer of the Earth beneath the crust.

• The rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the upper mantle.

• The inner core of the Earth made of molten iron.

• The atmosphere surrounding the Earth.

What is plate tectonics?

• A scientific theory that describes the large-scale movement of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates.

• A method of measuring earthquakes and their effects.

• A process that involves the erosion of mountains over time.

• A theory that explains the formation of ocean currents.

What happens at a subduction zone?

• One tectonic plate is forced under another, leading to volcanic activity and earthquakes.

• Two tectonic plates slide past each other without significant geological activity.

• Tectonic plates move apart, creating new oceanic crust.

• Tectonic plates collide, resulting in the formation of mountain ranges.

What is a transform boundary?

• A type of boundary where tectonic plates move apart.

• A boundary where two tectonic plates collide.

• A transform boundary is where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally.

• A boundary that forms when tectonic plates are stationary.

What evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

• Fossil evidence, geological similarities, and the fit of continents

• Only fossil evidence from ancient species

• The presence of mountain ranges in the same location

• The distribution of ocean currents

What is subduction?

• Subduction is the process where a heavier, denser plate slides under a less dense plate.

• Subduction is the process where two plates collide and create mountains.

• Subduction is the process where plates move apart and create new crust.

• Subduction is the process where plates slide past each other without creating or destroying crust.

What is a diverging boundary?

• A boundary where two tectonic plates collide and create mountains.

• A boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other, creating new crust as magma rises to the surface.

• A boundary where tectonic plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes.

• A boundary that forms when tectonic plates are stationary and do not interact.