Understanding Earth's Dynamic Surface and Plate Tectonics
Use your notes to answer the following questions.
Question 1
What is the main cause of earthquakes?
The gravitational pull from the moon affecting Earth's crust
The slow erosion of Earth's surface by wind and water
The buildup and rapid release of stress along active plate boundaries
The cooling and solidification of magma beneath Earth's surface
Question 2
What is a fault zone?
A layer of the atmosphere affected by tectonic movements
The deepest part of the ocean where tectonic plates meet
An area of many fractured pieces of crust along a large fault
A region where no seismic activity can occur
Question 3
What natural disaster is directly triggered by underwater earthquakes?
Tsunamis
Tornadoes
Volcanic eruptions
Hurricanes
Question 4
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
Earth is gradually expanding in size due to volcanic activity
The Earth's surface is gradually contracting due to cooling of the core
Earth’s surface is made of rigid slabs of rock, or plates, that move with respect to each other
The continents are static and have never moved since Earth's formation
Question 5
Which layer of Earth is directly below the lithosphere?
Asthenosphere
Outer core
Troposphere
Mesosphere
Question 6
What is the lithosphere?
The semi-plastic layer below the Earth's crust
The innermost layer of the Earth
The crust and the solid, uppermost mantle
The liquid outer core of the Earth
Question 7
How do landslides relate to earthquakes?
Landslides prevent earthquakes by stabilizing tectonic plates
Earthquakes are caused by landslides occurring deep underground
Landslides create barriers that stop the movement of tectonic plates
The vibrations of an earthquake can cause Earth materials to separate from a slope and move downhill
Question 8
What is NOT a result of tectonic plate movement?
Mountains
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Impact craters
Question 9
What is a tsunami?
A wave that forms when an ocean disturbance suddenly moves a large volume of water
A strong wind that affects ocean currents
A seasonal change in sea level
A type of volcanic eruption under the sea
Question 10
What are canyons primarily formed by?
Meteoroid impacts
Glacial movements
River erosion
Tectonic plate collisions
Question 11
What is the estimated rate of movement for tectonic plates?
10–50 cm per year
50–100 cm per year
1–9 cm per year
100–150 cm per year
Question 12
Which fault is known for being more than 1,000 km long?
The Great Rift Valley
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The San Andreas Fault
The Himalayan Fault Line
Question 13
What is the largest tectonic plate?
The North American Plate
The Eurasian Plate
The Pacific Plate
The Antarctic Plate
Question 14
What is the term for the rapid downhill movement of soil, loose rocks, and boulders?
Mudflow
Avalanche
Erosion
Landslide
Question 15
How are impact craters formed?
By the eruption of a supervolcano
By the movement of tectonic plates
By a meteoroid from space striking Earth’s surface
By the melting of large glaciers
Question 16
What is the Barringer Crater an example of?
A volcanic crater
A sinkhole
A caldera
An impact crater
Question 17
What causes the tectonic plates to move?
The rotation of the Earth on its axis
The pull of the moon's gravity
The flow of the asthenosphere beneath them
The magnetic field of the Earth
Question 18
What is the result of the slow but powerful movement of tectonic plates?
The change in Earth's orbit around the sun
The formation of mountains, valleys, and rifts
The creation of ocean currents
The fluctuation of Earth's magnetic poles
Question 19
What is the significance of midocean ridges in plate tectonics?
They are boundaries where tectonic plates are moving apart
They are locations where tectonic plates are the thickest
They are the deepest parts of the ocean where no plate movement occurs
They are underwater volcanoes that do not affect plate boundaries
Question 20
What is the name of one of the smallest tectonic plates?
The African Plate
The Juan de Fuca Plate
The Indo-Australian Plate
The Eurasian Plate
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