Tectonic Plates and Earthquakes Quiz

What is the average rate at which tectonic plates move?

• 1 cm per year

• 20 cm per year

• 10 cm per year

• 4 cm per year

What is the term for the process when oceanic crust is pushed under another plate?

• Rifting

• Diverging

• Subduction

• Converging

Which type of plate boundary is associated with the formation of mountains?

• Transform plate boundary

• Convergent plate boundary

• Divergent plate boundary

• Conservative plate boundary

What is the main cause of earthquakes at fault lines?

• Wind erosion

• Tsunamis

• High friction between tectonic plates

• Volcanic eruptions

Which of the following is a characteristic of continental plates?

• They are thinner and less buoyant

• They are thicker and more buoyant

• They are always subducted

• They are made entirely of oceanic crust

How are new oceanic crusts formed?

• Through sedimentation

• Through rifting

• Through erosion

• Through subduction

What is the significance of the Sumatra Boxing Day earthquake?

• It was the largest earthquake ever recorded

• It occurred at a divergent plate boundary

• It caused a massive tsunami in 2004

• It was the first earthquake to be measured

What happens when tectonic plates slide past each other?

• They result in volcanic eruptions

• They form mountains

• They cause earthquakes

• They create new oceanic crust

Why do the largest earthquakes occur at subduction plate boundaries?

• Because of the high speed of plate movement

• Due to the immense size and weight of the plates

• Because they are located near the equator

• Due to the presence of large fault lines

What is the relationship between the size of a fault and the magnitude of an earthquake?

• Larger faults always result in smaller earthquakes

• The size of the fault does not affect earthquake magnitude

• Larger faults can result in larger earthquakes

• Smaller faults result in larger earthquakes