Question 1

Roughly when did most earth scientists accept plate tectonics as a theory?

Accepted Answer

A) 1960 
B) 1970 
C) 1980 
D) 1990

Question 2

What type of plate boundary is parallel to the direction of plate movement?

Accepted Answer

A) convergent plate boundary 
B) transform plate boundary 
C) divergent plate boundary 
D) all of the above

Question 3

When was the theory of plate tectonics developed?

Accepted Answer

A) 1860s 
B) 1920s 
C) 1940s 
D) 1960s

Question 4

The Earth's lithosphere is broken up into approximately _____ large plates.

Accepted Answer

A) 5 
B) 10 
C) 12 
D) 20

Question 5

Oceanic crust that records negative magnetic anomalies formed when the Earth's magnetic field was

Accepted Answer

A) the same as it is today. 
B) the same as today,except weaker. 
C) reversed from what it is today. 
D) the same as today,except stronger.

Question 6

Compared with oceanic crust the continental crust is generally lighter,____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

A) weaker; thicker 
B) stronger; thinner 
C) stronger; thicker 
D)   stronger; thicker.

Question 7

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

Accepted Answer

A) Charles Darwin 
B) Harry Hess 
C) Alfred Wegener 
D) J.Tuzo Wilson

Question 8

Compared with oceanic rifts the continental rifts generally lack

Accepted Answer

A) rift valleys. 
B) earthquakes. 
C) volcanic activity. 
D) transform faults.

Question 9

When did India begin to collide with Asia to form the Himalayas?

Accepted Answer

A) approximately 50 million years ago 
B) approximately 500 million years ago 
C) approximately 200 million years ago 
D) approximately 2.0 billion years ago

Question 10

Mid-ocean ridges are also referred to as

Accepted Answer

A) spreading centers. 
B) hot spots. 
C) island arcs. 
D) trench zones.

Question 11

How many major plates cover Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

A) 2 
B) 5 
C) 13 
D) 30

Question 12

What drives plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A) magnetic reversals 
B) mantle convection 
C) solar energy 
D) volcanism

Question 13

Astronomical positioning measures points on the Earth's surface relative to

Accepted Answer

A) the position of Mars. 
B) the position of known comets. 
C) the position of the Moon. 
D) the position of fixed stars.

Question 14

Roughly how long has the North American Plate been around?

Accepted Answer

A) 6 thousand years 
B) 6 million years 
C) 60 million years 
D) 600 million years

Question 15

Pangaea split into two continents: Laurasia,made up of the northern continents,and ______,made up of the southern continents.

Accepted Answer

A) Tethys 
B) Panthalassa 
C) Gondwana 
D) Cascadia

Question 16

When did the supercontinent Pangaea begin to break apart?

Accepted Answer

A) approximately 65 million years ago 
B) approximately 570 million years ago 
C) approximately 200 million years ago 
D) approximately 1.5 billion years ago

Question 17

How do we determine absolute direction of plate movement over millions of years?

Accepted Answer

A) with astronomical positioning 
B) with global position systems (GPS) 
C) with seafloor isochrons 
D) by looking at the alignment of mountain ranges on the continents

Question 18

The main type of plate boundaries are (proper names only):

Accepted Answer

A) transform,sliding-past,sizzor. 
B) convergent,colliding,crumbling. 
C) divergent,pull-apart,spreading. 
D) convergent,transform,divergent.

Question 19

When a deep-sea trench is located next to a continent,where would you expect to find active volcanoes?

Accepted Answer

A) on the ocean side of the trench 
B) in the deep-sea trench 
C) on the continent side of the trench 
D) on both the ocean side and continent side of the trench

Question 20

Compared with slower moving plates,faster moving plates are bounded by a greater proportion of

Accepted Answer

A) continent collision zones. 
B) subduction zones. 
C) mid-ocean ridges. 
D) transform faults.

Exam 2: Plate Tectonics: The Unifying Theory