Question 1

The west coast of South America is
A)a convergent plate boundary.
B)a transform fault boundary.
C)a divergent plate boundary.
D)not a plate boundary.

Accepted Answer

The west coast of South America is characterized by a convergent plate boundary, where the Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the South American Plate. This is responsible for the Andes mountain range and the associated seismic activity.

Question 2

The east coast of North America is
A)a convergent plate boundary.
B)a transform plate boundary.
C)a divergent plate boundary.
D)not a plate boundary.

Accepted Answer

The east coast of North America is not a plate boundary. It is located inland from the boundary between the North American Plate and the Atlantic Oceanic crust, which is a divergent boundary located along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, not along the coastline itself.

Question 3

When was the theory of plate tectonics developed?
A)1860s
B)1920s
C)1940s
D)1960s

Accepted Answer

The theory of plate tectonics was developed in the 1960s, building on earlier concepts of continental drift and seafloor spreading.

Question 4

Which of the following mountain ranges formed as a result of ocean-continent convergence?
A)the Andes
B)the Appalachians
C)the Himalayas
D)the Urals

Accepted Answer

The Andes mountain range formed as a result of the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate, which is an example of ocean-continent convergence.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

Active volcanoes are typically found on the continent side of the trench due to the subduction of oceanic crust beneath the continental crust, which leads to melting and the formation of volcanoes.

Question 6

Which of the following is a type of convergent plate boundary?
A)continental rift
B)spreading center
C)mid-ocean ridge
D)subduction zone

Accepted Answer

A subduction zone is a type of convergent plate boundary where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another.

Question 7

Which of the following mountain ranges is the product of continent-continent convergence?
A)the Andes
B)the Cascade Range
C)the Himalayas
D)the Japanese islands

Accepted Answer

The Himalayas are formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which is an example of continent-continent convergence.

Question 8

How old are the fossils of the reptile Mesosaurus found in Africa and South America that suggest the two continents were once together?
A)approximately 100 million years
B)approximately 1.0 billion years
C)approximately 300 million years
D)approximately 3.0 billion years

Accepted Answer

The fossils of the reptile Mesosaurus, found in both Africa and South America, are approximately 300 million years old. This evidence supports the theory of continental drift, suggesting that these continents were once joined together.

Question 9

Which of the following is not associated with convergent plate boundaries?
A)earthquakes
B)deep-sea trenches
C)spreading centers
D)volcanoes

Accepted Answer

Spreading centers are associated with divergent plate boundaries, where tectonic plates move away from each other, not convergent plate boundaries where plates move towards each other.

Question 10

Which of the following is associated with a divergent plate boundary?
A)earthquakes
B)volcanism
C)rifting
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Divergent plate boundaries are characterized by the movement of two tectonic plates away from each other. This process can lead to earthquakes as the plates separate, volcanism as magma rises to fill the gap created by the separating plates, and rifting, which is the formation of a rift valley as the crust stretches and thins. Therefore, all of the options listed are associated with divergent plate boundaries.

Question 11

New lithosphere is created
A)in deep sea trenches.
B)in subduction zones.
C)at mid-ocean ridges.
D)along transform faults.

Accepted Answer

New lithosphere is created at mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic plates are diverging and magma rises to fill the gap, cooling to form new crust.

Question 12

Which of the following is a divergent plate boundary?
A)the Andes Mountains
B)the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
C)the Himalayan Mountains
D)the San Andreas fault

Accepted Answer

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent plate boundary where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, leading to the formation of new crust as magma rises from beneath the Earth's surface.

Question 13

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?
A)Charles Darwin
B)Harry Hess
C)Alfred Wegener
D)J.Tuzo Wilson

Accepted Answer

Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift in 1912, suggesting that continents were once joined together and have since drifted apart.

Question 14

What type of plate boundary is parallel to the direction of plate movement?
A)convergent plate boundary
B)transform plate boundary
C)divergent plate boundary
D)all of the above

Accepted Answer

Transform plate boundaries are characterized by the lateral sliding of plates against each other, which is parallel to the direction of plate movement.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a transform plate boundary?
A)the East African Rift
B)the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
C)the Marianas Trench
D)the San Andreas Fault

Accepted Answer

The San Andreas Fault is a classic example of a transform plate boundary, where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally.

Question 16

In which ocean are most of the world's convergent plate margins located?
A)Arctic Ocean
B)Atlantic Ocean
C)Indian Ocean
D)Pacific Ocean

Accepted Answer

Most of the world's convergent plate margins, where tectonic plates move towards each other, are located in the Pacific Ocean. This is evident from the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is characterized by a high number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Question 17

Approximately how deep (below sea level)are the deepest deep-sea trenches?
A)3 km
B)10 km
C)30 km
D)100 km

Accepted Answer

The deepest deep-sea trenches are approximately 10 km below sea level. The Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in the Earth's oceans, reaches depths of nearly 11 kilometers (about 36,000 feet).

Question 18

Which of the following concepts was developed earliest?
A)continental drift
B)plate tectonics
C)seafloor spreading
D)All three concepts were developed at approximately the same time.

Accepted Answer

Continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, which predates the development of the theories of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.

Question 19

What plate is subducting beneath southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States?
A)the Cocos Plate
B)the Nazca Plate
C)the Juan de Fuca Plate
D)the Pacific Plate

Accepted Answer

The Juan de Fuca Plate is subducting beneath southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States, a process that is responsible for the volcanic activity in the Cascade Range and seismic activity in the region.

Question 20

At what type of plate boundary do the deepest earthquakes occur?
A)convergent
B)divergent
C)transform
D)All of these plate boundaries have deep earthquakes.

Accepted Answer

The deepest earthquakes occur at convergent plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate is being subducted under another. This process can lead to very deep seismic events, even several hundred kilometers below the Earth's surface.

Quiz 2: Plate Tectonics: The Unifying Theory

The west coast of South America is

The east coast of North America is

When was the theory of plate tectonics developed?

Which of the following mountain ranges formed as a result of ocean-continent convergence?

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

Which of the following is a type of convergent plate boundary?

Which of the following mountain ranges is the product of continent-continent convergence?

How old are the fossils of the reptile Mesosaurus found in Africa and South America that suggest the two continents were once together?

Which of the following is not associated with convergent plate boundaries?

Which of the following is associated with a divergent plate boundary?

New lithosphere is created

Which of the following is a divergent plate boundary?

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

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

Which of the following is an example of a transform plate boundary?

In which ocean are most of the world's convergent plate margins located?

Approximately how deep (below sea level) are the deepest deep-sea trenches?

Which of the following concepts was developed earliest?

What plate is subducting beneath southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States?

At what type of plate boundary do the deepest earthquakes occur?