GEOLOGY 1500-11 EXAM 2 CH. 2
PLATE TECTONICS QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS(RATED A+)
The idea proposed by Alfred Wegener to explain the continental shapes and
positions is known as - ANSWERContinental Drift
Which two are the best best examples of the "puzzle-piece" argument? -
ANSWERSouth America & Africa
What evidence, left by glaciers that supports the existence of Pangea -
ANSWERglacial striations (movement of glaciers)
drifted and in different places
Permian till
-found in 4 continents
Australia
India
Africa
South America
- the tills in Africa and India are now near the equator (NO ICE AGE hypothesis)
List all of the early evidence of continental drift? - ANSWER-Continental "Fit"
(Pangea)
- Location of glacial
(the till that was found in four diff continents)
- fossil organisms
(identical fossils found were widely separated, could not have crossed an ocean)
- rock type & structure similarities
(rock assemblage are now on opposite sides)
-Paleoclimatic preserved in rocks
(rocks went through the same climate)
What was the name of the floral fossils Wegener used to support his idea of
continental drift? - ANSWERGlossopteris
plant could not across oceans
woody - seed bearing shrub or tree
found in southern continents
In the figure below, what is the approximate age of the sea floor off the north coast of
Spain? - ANSWER83.0 - 141.9 million years
, (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Which type of plate boundary results from two or more plates coming together? -
ANSWERConvergent boundary --><--
Different types of convergent boundaries - ANSWER3 types:
similarity: o-c, o-o,
cause earthquakes and volcanoes
ocean -> <- ocean
ocean -> <- continental
continental -> <- continental
ocean -> <- ocean - ANSWERocean -> <- ocean
The older plate will subduct because of its higher density (weight). The subducting
plate is heated as it is forced deeper into the mantle, begins to melt.
- Magma chambers reach the surface break through to form a volcanic eruption
- deeper earthquakes; (less intense)
oceanic trench
Ex. The Washington-Oregon coastline (cascade mountains)
ocean -> <- continental - ANSWERocean -> <- continental
This partial melting produces magma chambers above the subducting oceanic plate.
(shallow EQ)
Ex. The Andes Mountain Range in South America
What is the best example of continental crust colliding with the continental crust? -
ANSWERHimalayas
continental to continental convergence boundary
According to the diagram below, which of the following plates is all (entirely) made of
oceanic crust? - ANSWERNasca
The Nasca plate is an oceanic tectonic plate in the southeastern Pacific Ocean that
shares both convergent and divergent boundaries
According to the diagram below, which of the following is the largest plate? -
ANSWERPacific
estimated to be 103,300,000 square kilometers in size. Found underneath the Pacific
Ocean
continental -> <- continental - ANSWERcontinental -> <- continental
two continental plates move towards each-other neither plate goes under into the
mantle because plates are less dense than the mantle which prevents subduction
(no volcanoes) rarely
PLATE TECTONICS QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS(RATED A+)
The idea proposed by Alfred Wegener to explain the continental shapes and
positions is known as - ANSWERContinental Drift
Which two are the best best examples of the "puzzle-piece" argument? -
ANSWERSouth America & Africa
What evidence, left by glaciers that supports the existence of Pangea -
ANSWERglacial striations (movement of glaciers)
drifted and in different places
Permian till
-found in 4 continents
Australia
India
Africa
South America
- the tills in Africa and India are now near the equator (NO ICE AGE hypothesis)
List all of the early evidence of continental drift? - ANSWER-Continental "Fit"
(Pangea)
- Location of glacial
(the till that was found in four diff continents)
- fossil organisms
(identical fossils found were widely separated, could not have crossed an ocean)
- rock type & structure similarities
(rock assemblage are now on opposite sides)
-Paleoclimatic preserved in rocks
(rocks went through the same climate)
What was the name of the floral fossils Wegener used to support his idea of
continental drift? - ANSWERGlossopteris
plant could not across oceans
woody - seed bearing shrub or tree
found in southern continents
In the figure below, what is the approximate age of the sea floor off the north coast of
Spain? - ANSWER83.0 - 141.9 million years
, (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Which type of plate boundary results from two or more plates coming together? -
ANSWERConvergent boundary --><--
Different types of convergent boundaries - ANSWER3 types:
similarity: o-c, o-o,
cause earthquakes and volcanoes
ocean -> <- ocean
ocean -> <- continental
continental -> <- continental
ocean -> <- ocean - ANSWERocean -> <- ocean
The older plate will subduct because of its higher density (weight). The subducting
plate is heated as it is forced deeper into the mantle, begins to melt.
- Magma chambers reach the surface break through to form a volcanic eruption
- deeper earthquakes; (less intense)
oceanic trench
Ex. The Washington-Oregon coastline (cascade mountains)
ocean -> <- continental - ANSWERocean -> <- continental
This partial melting produces magma chambers above the subducting oceanic plate.
(shallow EQ)
Ex. The Andes Mountain Range in South America
What is the best example of continental crust colliding with the continental crust? -
ANSWERHimalayas
continental to continental convergence boundary
According to the diagram below, which of the following plates is all (entirely) made of
oceanic crust? - ANSWERNasca
The Nasca plate is an oceanic tectonic plate in the southeastern Pacific Ocean that
shares both convergent and divergent boundaries
According to the diagram below, which of the following is the largest plate? -
ANSWERPacific
estimated to be 103,300,000 square kilometers in size. Found underneath the Pacific
Ocean
continental -> <- continental - ANSWERcontinental -> <- continental
two continental plates move towards each-other neither plate goes under into the
mantle because plates are less dense than the mantle which prevents subduction
(no volcanoes) rarely
