A section of Earth contains both oceanic and continental crust. Which of the following could it be?
a tectonic plate
Where is the mesophere located inside Earth?
the lower mantle
Which statement best explains why Earth's core contains such high percentages of iron and nickel?
When Earth was still molten, gravity pulled dense elements down to Earth's center.
In which layer of Earth does convection occur?
asthenosphere
How did scientists determine that the outer core is a liquid?
Certain seismic waves that travel only through solids produce shadow zones in different parts of the globe.
Why does the amount of oceanic crust in a tectonic plate change over time?
Oceanic crust is continually recycled into the mantle and re-formed at mid-ocean ridges.
If scientists could sample Earth's inner core, they would most likely find
solid metal
Which is the correct order of Earth's structural layers, from top to bottom?
lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, inner core
Which layer of Earth's interior is liquid?
outer core
Which of the following best describes the makeup of the lithosphere?
continental crust, oceanic crust, and the uppermost part of the mantle
Rocks from which source would most likely contain the highest percentage of silicate minerals?
a mountain in the middle of a continent
Which type of feature is most likely to form from extensional forces at a divergent plate boundary?
fault-block mountain
What do geologists think happened when Pangaea broke apart?
It formed what became the seven continents we see today.
What is a snowball Earth event?
a hypothetical scenario describing how the movement of continents to different latitudes can dramatically alter Earth's global climate
The Himilayan Mountains are being formed as
two tectonic plates are colliding
Deep sea trenches are associated with which of the following?
subduction zones
Subduction zones occur at which type of boundary?
convergent
A geologist is studying Earth's lithosphere along a transform boundary. Which of the following may the geologist conclude?
A) Lithosphere was destroyed by plate motion along this boundary.
B) New lithosphere was created by plate motion along this boundary.
C) both A and B
>>> D) neither A nor B
What is the surface expression of continental divergence?
rift valley
Which of the following ranges is primarily folded mountains?
Appalachian Mountains
What type of plate boundary is associated with a group of volcanic islands along an arc?
ocean-ocean convergent boundary
Precise measurements of the motion of Earth's lithosphere provide evidence for which process?
A) plate tectonics
B) seafloor spreading
C) mantle convection
>>> D) all of the above
What is the name of the process by which new oceanic lithosphere forms at mid-ocean ridges?
seafloor spreading
Does magnetic north always point in the same direction as geographic north?
No; Earth's magnetic north pole isn't located at the geographic north pole.
Is Earth's magnetic field static?
No; Earth's magnetic field occasionally reverses its polarity.
What did Wegener notice about the continents that supported his continental drift hypothesis?
The continental coastlines appear to fit together.
A geologist studies two bands of rock on the western side of a mid-ocean ridge. Band A is located approximately 5 km from the ridge, and band B is located approximately 50 km from the ridge. Which of the following statements is most likely true?
Band B is older than band A.
Which of the following topographical features drives tectonic plate motion through ridge push?
the higher elevation of mid-ocean ridges relative to subduction zones
Which of the following types of evidence best supports the theory of plate tectonics?
precise measurements of the relative motions of pieces of Earth's lithosphere
Fill in the blanks in the following sentence:
Plate tectonics is supported by the __________ of oceanic crust on _________.
symmetrical age patterns; either side of a mid-ocean ridge
Which of the following is generally considered a process that drives tectonic plate motion?
A) slab pull
B) ridge push
C) mantle convection
>>> D) all of the above
Which statement does NOT summarize one of the lines of evidence used by Alfred Wegener to support his theory of continental drift?
Bands of rock are older the farther their position from a mid-ocean ridge.