Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Part 1

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. The existence of coal beds in Antarctica indicates that the continent once had ____.
a. been part of Africa c. a cold, dry climate
b. a temperate, rainy climate d. been farther from the equator

____ 2. ____ is a fossil fern that helped support Wegeners hypothesis of continental drift.
a. Gondwanaland c. Mesosaurus
b. Kannemeyerid d. Glossopteris

____ 3. The youngest part of the ocean floor is found ____.

a. along deep sea trenches
b. where ocean sediments are thickest
c. near ocean ridges
d. where Earths magnetic field changes polarity

____ 4. At an oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary, ____.

a. new crust is created c. old crust is deformed or fractured
b. old crust is recycled by subduction d. plates side past one another

____ 5. Many early mapmakers thought Earths continents had moved based on ____.
a. plate boundary locations c. climatic data
b. fossil evidence d. matching coastlines

____ 6. Continental drift was not widely accepted when it was first proposed because ____.
a. Wegener couldnt explain why or how the continents moved
b. continental landmasses were too big to move slowly over Earths surface
c. magnetic and sonar data proved that Wegeners hypothesis was incorrect
d. mantle convection currents werent in motion at that time

____ 7. Compared to ocean crust near deep-sea trenches, crust near ocean ridges is ____.
a. younger c. the same age
b. older d. magnetically reversed

____ 8. Features found at divergent boundaries include ____.

a. ocean ridges c. crumpled mountains
b. deep-sea trenches d. island arc volcanoes

____ 9. Continental-continental plate collisions produce ____.

a. island arcs c. deep-sea trenches
b. rift valleys d. very tall mountain ranges

____ 10. Crust is neither destroyed nor formed along which of the following boundaries?
a. convergent c. transform
b. divergent d. magnetic

____ 11. The driving forces of tectonic plates are related to convection currents in Earths ____.
a. crust c. inner core
b. mantle d. outer core

____ 12. A vast, underwater mountain chain is called a(n) _________.

a. deep-sea trench c. ocean ridge
b. oceanic crust d. ocean floor sediment

____ 13. A narrow, elongated depression in the seafloor is called a(n) _________.
a. deep-sea trench c. ocean ridge
b. oceanic crust d. ocean floor sediment
Complete each statement.

14. Wegeners hypothesis of ____________ _____________ stated that Earths continents had once been joined as a
single landmass.

15. The ________ ____ __________ ____________ states that Earths crust and rigid upper mantle are broken into
enormous slabs called plates that move slowly over Earths surface.

16. __________ ___________ _________ are places where plates slide horizontally past each other.

17. Which of the following glacial features were included in Wegener's list of evidence?
A) striations (gouge marks) B) kettle lakes C) eskers

18. the presence of a mid-ocean ridge and fissure volcanoes indicate the presence of a __________________ boundary.
A) divergent B) convergent C) transform D) darnurgent

19. New oceanic crust forms at ocean ridges and becomes part of the seafloor. A) TRUE B) FALSE

20. Which convergent boundary does not have a subduction zone?

A) oceanic-oceanic B) continental-continental C) oceanic-continental D) transform-lateral

21. Before Pangaea, the continents and other land masses on Earth didn't even exist. A) TRUE B) FALSE

22. Which of the following was the main reason why scientists did not accept Wegener's hypothesis.
a. Wegener was smarter than all other scientists
b. Wegener could not explain the mechanism for movement of the continents.
c. Animals could swim.

23. What modern technology led to the discovery of the continental shelves (and that they match up more perfectly than the
shorelines of the continents)?
a. RADAR b. SONAR c. infrared d. ultrasound e. vibro-scanning

24. Which of the following was the biggest problem with Wegener's Theory of Continental Drift?
a. He could not explain the mechanism for movement of the continents
b. Too many scientists already came up with the same theory
c. All of his evidence turned out to be fake

25. Which two mountain ranges are nearly identical in age, size, rock type and sequence of deposition?
a. Himalayas and Andes b. Rockies and Cascades c. Appalachians and Caledonians
d. European Alps and Cascades e. Appalachians and Rockies

26. Which of the following is NOT one of the fossils found that supported Wegener's hypothesis of Continental drift?
a. mesosaurus b. glossopteris c. cynognathus d. lystrosaurus e. megaladon

27. What evidence found on Africa and South America supports the hypothesis of continental drift?
a. fossils of the same plants and animals b. the shapes of the continental shelves match
c. glacial deposits d. all of the above

28. The lithospheric plate boundaries can be outlined by mapping

A) earthquake epicenters B) active volcanoes C) both of the above

29. The asthenosphere is a fluid-like solid, also termed plastic. A. TRUE B. FALSE

30. A characteristic of a subduction zone is a A) trench B) volcanic chain C) Both

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Part 1
Answer Section

1. B
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. A
8. A
9. D
10. C
11. B
12. C
13. A
14. Continental drift
15. Theory of plate tectonics
16. Transform plate boundaries
17. A
18. A
19. A
20. B
21. B
22. B
23. B
24. A
25. C
26. E
27. D
28. C
29. A
30. C
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Part 1

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Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Part 1

Name: _______________________________

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