the earth questions

Question description

QUESTION 1

Which of these is part of the lithosphere?

inner core

outer core

all of the mantle

crust and outer part of the mantle

2 points

QUESTION 2

Which part of the mantle is still a solid but flows like a thick, heavy liquid?

asthenosphere

lithosphere

crust

core

2 points

QUESTION 3

Seismic waves travel at different speeds according to type. What is the speed of seismic waves from fastest to slowest?

S waves, L waves, P waves

P waves, S waves, L waves

L waves, S waves, P waves

P waves, L waves, S waves

2 points

QUESTION 4

What is the best description of the paths of S waves and P waves?

	S waves travel through solids, liquids, and gasses. P waves travel through solids or very dense, glassy liquids.
	S waves travel along the surface of Earth’s crust. P waves travel through Earth’s interior.
	S waves travel through Earth’s interior. P waves travel along the surface of Earth’s crust.
	S waves travel through solids or very dense, glassy liquids. P waves travel through solids, liquids, and gasses.

2 points

QUESTION 5

What is the exact location of an earthquake on Earth’s surface?

pole

core

focus

epicenter

2 points

QUESTION 6

What evidence did Wegener make use of to develop the theory of continental drift?

	Mountains in North America appear to be part of the same chain of mountains as those in Northern Europe.
	The climate of Siberia has always been the same.
	The Rocky Mountains are taller than the Appalachian Mountains.
	There is no evidence of glaciers anywhere in South America.

2 points

QUESTION 7

According to the theory of continental drift, which option indicates the order of how the continents changed positions?

B, C, A

C, B, A

C, A, B

A, B, C

2 points

QUESTION 8

The theory of continental drift proposes that the Earth’s continents may have once been united as a supercontinent but have drifted apart over time. What was the name of the supercontinent?

Gondwanaland

Pangaea

Laurasia

Americas

2 points

QUESTION 9

Over time the original supercontinent broke into two large land masses. What are the names of these two land masses?

Laurasia and Pangaea

Laurasia and Gondwanaland

Gondwanaland and Pangaea

Pangaea and Eurasia

2 points

QUESTION 10

Over time Pangaea broke apart to form other continents. Which modern day continents composed Laurasia?

	North America, Europe, and most of Asia
	North America and South America
	Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia, and the subcontinent of India
	Antarctica, South America, and Europe

2 points

QUESTION 11

Which term is described as a flat expanse of ocean floor?

continental shelf

abyssal plains

deep-sea trenches

guyots

2 points

QUESTION 12

Which term is described as a seamount with a flattened top?

continental shelf

abyssal plains

deep-sea trenches

guyots

2 points

QUESTION 13

Where are the youngest rocks in the Earth’s crust found?

near the boundary between ocean crust and continental crust

along the continental slope

in the center of the continents

at the center of the mid-ocean ridge

2 points

QUESTION 14

Iron-rich minerals in rock pointed in one direction and then switched to the exact opposite direction. This supports what idea?

	The rocks were being turned around.
	Earth’s magnetic field stopped working entirely.
	Earth’s magnetic field goes through pole reversals.
	Being underwater makes the rocks respond to magnetic fields.

2 points

QUESTION 15

How does the ocean floor keep track of magnetic fields?

There are magnets in the ocean floor

All rocks act like magnets

Basalt is iron-rich and responds to magnetic fields

Being underwater makes the rocks respond to magnetic fields.

2 points

QUESTION 16

Which of these pieces of evidence did Alfred Wegener’s original theory of continental drift have access to?

	seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges
	reversing paleomagnetism in rocks on the ocean floor
	evidence of ancient tropical swamps in cold regions of North America
	a seafloor that was geologically active with earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain chains

2 points

QUESTION 17

Which theory best explains the present arrangement of continents, oceans, and landforms on Earth?

plate tectonic theory

Wegener’s continental theory

The continental puzzle theory

the Pangaea theory

2 points

QUESTION 18

Which description best presents the arrangement of continents, oceans, and landforms according to the theory of plate tectonics?

	large pieces of Pangaea drifted in different directions over millions of years
	several divisions of two original continents over millions of years
	the motion of lithospheric plates over millions of years
	oceans eroding along different paths within a single continent over millions of years, causing it to break up

2 points

QUESTION 19

Which two forces do scientists believe are responsible for tectonic plate motion?

	gravity acting on the edges of plates and friction between the plate and the asthenosphere
	friction between the plate and the asthenosphere and pressure of magma on the edge of the plate
	gravity acting on the edges of plates and convection in the mantle
	convection in the mantle and pressure of magma on the edge of the plate

2 points

QUESTION 20

Which of these statements is true about the theory of plate tectonics and the theory of continental drift?

	The theory of plate tectonics explains how continental movements could occur.
	The theory of plate tectonics shows that continental movements could not have happened.
	The theory of plate tectonics tells exactly where the continents were before Pangaea divided.
	The theory of plate tectonics shows that Pangaea was impossible, but the continents did move.

2 points

QUESTION 21

What activates a convection current, starting the flow of a fluid?

cold temperatures at the north pole

heated liquids at Earth’s surface

iron-rich rocks in the mantle

temperature differences in the mantle

2 points

QUESTION 22

Which of the following is a result of gravity in relation to moving tectonic plates?

Earth’s magnetic field reverses

ridge push and slab pull

circulating material in the mantle

Earth’s internal heating

2 points

QUESTION 23

How can gravity’s role in tectonic plate motion be described?

Earth’s magnetic field reverses

ridge push and slab pull

circulating material in the mantle

Earth’s internal heating

2 points

QUESTION 24

Which two processess do scientists think move the Earth’s lithospheric plates?

	gravity acting on the edges of plates and friction between the plate and the asthenosphere
	friction between the plate and the asthenosphere and pressure of magma on the edge of the plate
	gravity acting on the edges of plates and convection in the mantle
	convection in the mantle and pressure of magma on the edge of the plate

2 points

QUESTION 25

At what location does gravity play a role in moving tectonic plates?

in the mantle

in the middle of a continent

at the edge of the plates

in the core

2 points

QUESTION 26

How is continental crust different from oceanic crust?

	Continental crust is more dense and contains a lot of basalt.
	Continental crust is thinner and younger.
	Oceanic crust is thinner and younger.
	Oceanic crust is thicker and contains a lot of granite.

2 points

QUESTION 27

Look at this section of a tectonic map. Describe what is happening at the plate boundary.

The seafloor is spreading.

An oceanic plate is subducting.

Two continental plates are colliding.

Two plates are sliding past each other.

2 points

QUESTION 28

What happens at a convergent boundary?

	Mountains form as lithospheric plates move side by side past each other.
	Collisions occur as lithospheric plates move toward each other.
	Magnetism occurs as lithospheric plates are attracted toward each other by gravity.
	Earthquakes occur as lithospheric plates move away from each other.

2 points

QUESTION 29

At which type of boundary do lithospheric plates collide?

convection boundaries

convergent boundaries

contour boundaries

gravitational boundaries

2 points

QUESTION 30

What happens when two continental plates meet at a convergent boundary according to plate tectonics?

	One slides under the other to form magma.
	They push against each other to form deep-ocean trenches.
	One slides under the other to form new mantle.
	They push against each other to form folded mountain ranges.

	inner core
	outer core
	all of the mantle
	crust and outer part of the mantle

	S waves, L waves, P waves
	P waves, S waves, L waves
	L waves, S waves, P waves
	P waves, L waves, S waves

	Laurasia and Pangaea
	Laurasia and Gondwanaland
	Gondwanaland and Pangaea
	Pangaea and Eurasia

	near the boundary between ocean crust and continental crust
	along the continental slope
	in the center of the continents
	at the center of the mid-ocean ridge

	There are magnets in the ocean floor
	All rocks act like magnets
	Basalt is iron-rich and responds to magnetic fields
	Being underwater makes the rocks respond to magnetic fields.

	plate tectonic theory
	Wegener’s continental theory
	The continental puzzle theory
	the Pangaea theory

	cold temperatures at the north pole
	heated liquids at Earth’s surface
	iron-rich rocks in the mantle
	temperature differences in the mantle

	Earth’s magnetic field reverses
	ridge push and slab pull
	circulating material in the mantle
	Earth’s internal heating

	in the mantle
	in the middle of a continent
	at the edge of the plates
	in the core

	The seafloor is spreading.
	An oceanic plate is subducting.
	Two continental plates are colliding.
	Two plates are sliding past each other.

	pole
	core
	focus
	epicenter

	continental shelf
	abyssal plains
	deep-sea trenches
	guyots

	continental shelf
	abyssal plains
	deep-sea trenches
	guyots

	convection boundaries
	convergent boundaries
	contour boundaries
	gravitational boundaries