3.Plate Tectonic Theory & Continental Drift Theory

Question 1

What are the two types of forces affecting Earth’s crust?

Answer 1

The two types of forces affecting Earth’s crust are exogenic forces and endogenic forces.

Question 2

What are endogenic forces?

Answer 2

Endogenic forces are internal forces that originate from within the Earth. They lead to the vertical movement of the Earth and the formation of faults and folds.

Question 3

What are epeirogenetic forces?

Answer 3

Epeirogenetic forces are a type of endogenic force that leads to the vertical movement of the Earth’s crust.

Question 4

What are orogenic forces?

Answer 4

Orogenic forces are a type of endogenic force that leads to the formation of faults and folds, and horizontal movement. They are responsible for the development of mountains.

Question 5

What is the meaning of “Oro” in orogenic forces?

Answer 5

“Oro” means mountain in orogenic forces.

Question 6

What type of forces lead to the formation of faulting mountains?

Answer 6

Tensional forces on the Earth’s crust lead to the formation of faulting mountains.

Question 7

What is an example of faulting mountains?

Answer 7

Vindhya and Satpura mountains are examples of faulting mountains.

Question 8

What type of forces lead to the formation of folded mountains?

Answer 8

Compressional forces on the Earth’s crust lead to the formation of folded mountains.

Question 9

What is an example of folded mountains?

Answer 9

The Himalayan mountains are an example of folded mountains.

Question 10

What are exogenic forces?

Answer 10

Exogenic forces are external forces that originate from the Earth’s atmosphere and lead to the degradation or aggradation of Earth’s surface.

Question 11

What is the difference between exogenic forces and endogenic forces?

Answer 11

Exogenic forces originate from outside the Earth’s crust, while endogenic forces originate from within the Earth’s crust.

Question 12

What is the effect of exogenic forces on Earth’s surface?

Answer 12

Exogenic forces cause the wearing down (degradation) of relief/elevations and filling up (aggradation) of basins/depressions on Earth’s surface.

Question 13

What is denudation?

Answer 13

Denudation is the process of removing rock or soil from the Earth’s surface through erosion by natural agents such as rivers, glaciers, winds, sea waves, and underground water.

Question 14

How do exogenic forces flatten the Earth’s surface?

Answer 14

Exogenic forces flatten the Earth’s surface through denudation, which removes rock and soil from elevated areas and deposits them in lower areas.

Question 15

What are the three types of procedures that take place in exogenic forces?

Answer 15

The three types of procedures that take place in exogenic forces are weathering, denudation, and deposition.

Question 16

What is weathering?

Answer 16

Weathering is the physical or chemical breakdown of rocks on the Earth’s surface due to exposure to atmospheric agents such as air, water, and temperature changes.

Question 17

What is deposition?

Answer 17

Deposition is the process of depositing sediment or other materials that have been eroded and transported by natural agents such as rivers, winds, and glaciers.

Question 18

What type of movement occurs in orogenic forces?

Answer 18

Horizontal movement occurs in orogenic forces.

Question 19

How do orogenic forces lead to the development of mountains?

Answer 19

Orogenic forces lead to the development of mountains by causing horizontal movement that results in the formation of faults and folds.

Question 20

What are the two types of mountains that can form due to orogenic forces?

Answer 20

The two types of mountains that can form due to orogenic forces are faulting mountains and folded mountains.

Question 21

What are tensional forces, and what type of mountains do they lead to?

Answer 21

Tensional forces are forces that pull the Earth’s crust apart. They lead to the formation of faulting mountains. Examples of faulting mountains include Vindhya and Satpura mountains.

Question 22

What are compressional forces, and what type of mountains do they lead to?

Answer 22

Compressional forces are forces that push the Earth’s crust together. They lead to the formation of folded mountains. An example of folded mountains is the Himalayan mountains.

Question 23

How are faulting mountains formed due to orogenic forces?

Answer 23

Faulting mountains are formed due to orogenic forces through tensional forces that pull the Earth’s crust apart, leading to the formation of faults.

Question 24

How are folded mountains formed due to orogenic forces?

Answer 24

Folded mountains are formed due to orogenic forces through compressional forces that push the Earth’s crust together, leading to the formation of folds.

Question 25

What is the significance of orogenic forces in shaping the Earth’s surface?

Answer 25

Orogenic forces play a significant role in shaping the Earth’s surface by creating mountain ranges and affecting the topography of the surrounding areas.

Question 26

What is Plate Tectonic Theory?

Answer 26

Plate Tectonic Theory explains the movement of plates on the Earth’s surface.

Question 27

What is a Plate?

Answer 27

A Plate is a top layer with a depth of 100 km above which continental lands and oceanic water is placed.

Question 28

What are the three types of Plates?

Answer 28

The three types of Plates are Continental Plate, Oceanic Plate, and Continental-Oceanic Plate.

Question 29

What is a Continental Plate?

Answer 29

A Continental Plate is a type of plate that has a majority of land compared to water. It is composed of granite rocks and relatively lightweight minerals. Examples of continental plates include African plate, North-American plate, Eurasian plate, South-American plate, and Antarctic plate.

Question 30

What is an Oceanic Plate?

Answer 30

An Oceanic Plate is a type of plate that has a major portion of water. It is composed of basaltic rocks. An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific plate, which is the biggest and oldest plate.

Question 31

What is an Oceanic Plate?

Answer 31

An Oceanic Plate is a type of plate that has a major portion of water. It is composed of basaltic rocks. An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific plate, which is the biggest and oldest plate.

Question 32

What is a Continental-Oceanic Plate?

Answer 32

A Continental-Oceanic Plate is a type of plate that is made up of both land and water. An example of a continental-oceanic plate is the Indo-Australian plate, which is further subdivided into the Indian plate and the Australian plate.

Question 33

What are plate margins?

Answer 33

Plate margins are the boundaries where two or more plates meet, and various geological activities such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building occur.

Question 34

What is a destructive plate margin?

Answer 34

A destructive plate margin is a type of plate margin where collision or convergence takes place, and the plate or crust gets destroyed.

Question 35

What forms the convergent plate boundary in a destructive plate margin?

Answer 35

The plates in a destructive plate margin form the convergent plate boundary.

Question 36

What are the different cases of destructive plate margins?

Answer 36

The different cases of destructive plate margins are:
Oceanic - Continental plate
Oceanic - Oceanic plate
Continental - Continental plate

Question 37

What is a constructive plate margin?

Answer 37

A constructive plate margin is a type of plate margin where divergence takes place, and the crust is getting constructed.

Question 38

What forms the divergent plate boundary in a constructive plate margin?

Answer 38

The plates in a constructive plate margin form the divergent plate boundary.

Question 39

What is a conservative plate margin?

Answer 39

A conservative plate margin is a type of plate margin where neither construction nor destruction takes place, and both the plates keep rubbing against each other.

Question 40

What forms the transform fault boundary in a conservative plate margin?

Answer 40

The plates in a conservative plate margin form the transform fault boundary.

Question 41

What are the three steps involved in the formation of oceanic ridges in constructive plate margins?

Answer 41

The three steps involved in the formation of oceanic ridges in constructive plate margins are:
Intercontinental rift formation
Interplate thinning
Formation of mid-oceanic ridges.

Question 42

What happens during intercontinental rift formation?

Answer 42

During intercontinental rift formation, magma keeps rising against the earth crust, causing it to bend and develop cracks. Continuous horizontal movement leads to tensional push and formation of faulting. An example is the Great African rift valley.

Question 43

What is a “graben” and a “horst” in the context of intercontinental rift formation?

Answer 43

“Graben” is the German word for a rift valley, while “horst” refers to blocking mountains that are created with the rift.

Question 44

What happens during interplate thinning?

Answer 44

During interplate thinning, the portion of the plate coming into contact with a large amount of magma melts and the floor gets subsided. The nearby water from the sea or ocean enters the floor. An example is the Red Sea.

Question 45

What happens during the formation of mid-oceanic ridges?

Answer 45

During the formation of mid-oceanic ridges, two tectonic plates diverge, and a new lithosphere is formed as two plates move apart. The old lithosphere is simultaneously forced back into the mantle and subducted beneath oceanic trench systems. Mid-ocean ridges may spread at a pace of 2 to 3 centimeters/year and have a steep, erratic morphology.

Question 46

What is the significance of the presence of radioactive elements in the region of mid-oceanic ridges?

Answer 46

The presence of magma is more in the region of more radioactive elements.