Plate Tectonics

Question 1

What was the name of the scientist who introduced Continental Drift

Answer 1

Alfred Wegener

Question 2

What does the continental drift hypothesis suggest

Answer 2

that the continents have moved/drifted from one location to another

Question 3

what did the continents do that supported continental drift

Answer 3

they fit together like a puzzle

Question 4

What did rock formations have to do with continental drift

Answer 4

they match up along south america and africa

Question 5

what do fossils have to do with continental drift

Answer 5

fossils of the same species (mesosaurus) were found in south america and africa

Question 6

what evidence for continental drift is on rocks

Answer 6

climate change

Question 7

what kind of fossil is found on Antarctica, india, and south america that supports continental drift

Answer 7

a type of fern fossil (glossopteris)

Question 8

what is the theory of pangaea

Answer 8

about 225 million years ago, all the continents were connected to form a supercontinient called pangaea

Question 9

what is the theory of plate tectonics

Answer 9

peices of earths lithosphere are in constant, slow motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle

Question 10

what does the theory of plate tectonics explain

Answer 10

the formation, movement, and subduction of earths plates

Question 11

what are plate boundaries

Answer 11

the interference/area between the crustal plates where earthquakes and volcanoes are most common

Question 12

whats a fault

Answer 12

a break in the lithosphere along which movement has occurred

Question 13

what are the types of plate boundaries (names)

Answer 13

divergent, convergent, transform

Question 14

what motion do divergent plate boundaries make

Answer 14

two tectonic plates that move away from eachother

Question 15

what motion do convergent plate boundaries make

Answer 15

two tectonic plates that move torwards eachother

Question 16

what motion do transform plate boundaries make

Answer 16

two tectonic plates that slide past one another in oppposite directions

Question 17

what type of plate boundary is a subduction zone

Answer 17

convergent

Question 18

how do subduction zones work

Answer 18

the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep ocean trench and back into the mantle

Question 19

what does a subduction zone allow the ocean floor to do

Answer 19

allows it to sink into the mantle and melt into molten rock

Question 20

who are geologists

Answer 20

scientists that study the forces that make and shape the planet earth

Question 21

what do geologists study about rocks

Answer 21

their chemical and physical characteristics

Question 22

what do geologists search for clues about

Answer 22

earths history

Question 23

what do constructive forces do to earth

Answer 23

shapes earths surface by building up mountains and landmasses

Question 24

what do destructive forces do to earth

Answer 24

slowly wear away mountains and other features on the earths surface

Question 25

what is the first layer of earth

Answer 25

crust

Question 26

what is the second layer of earth

Answer 26

mantle

Question 27

what is the third layer of earth

Answer 27

outer core

Question 28

what is the fourth layer of earth

Answer 28

inner core

Question 29

what natural cause is a seismic wave

Answer 29

earthquake waves

Question 30

what do scientists do with seismic waves

Answer 30

stud the speed of these waves and the path they take

Question 31

what model did seismic waves help put together

Answer 31

the layers of earth

Question 32

what is convection

Answer 32

the transfer of energy/heat through a gas or liquid

Question 33

what are convection cells

Answer 33

a circulating system of motion within a fluid or gas in which temperature and density differences exist

Question 34

how does temperature affect convection cells

Answer 34

in the warmer, less dense portion of the cell, motion is upward; in cooler, denser portions, motion is downward

Question 35

what is volcanism

Answer 35

any activity that includes the movement of magna onto or torwards the surface of earth

Question 36

what is magma

Answer 36

molten rock;melted rock that is below the surface

Question 37

what is lava

Answer 37

molten rock that errupts onto the earths surface

Question 38

what is a volcano

Answer 38

a weak spot in the crust where molten material (magma) comes to the surface

Question 39

what is a vent

Answer 39

the opening through which molten rock flows onto the surface

Question 40

the ring of fire is a volcanic ____

Answer 40

belt

Question 41

what is the ring of fire formed by

Answer 41

many volcanoes that rim the pacific ocean

Question 42

what 3 places do volcanoes form

Answer 42

subduction zones, hot spots, and mid-ocean ridges

Question 43

what is a hot spot

Answer 43

magma works its way up to the earths surface like a blow torch

Question 44

what can hot spots create

Answer 44

volcanic islands or island arcs

Question 45

how are hawaiian islands formed

Answer 45

island arcs

Question 46

what is an island arcs

Answer 46

string of islands formed by a volcano

Question 47

What is the focus of an earthquake

Answer 47

the point beneath earths surface where rock is under stress breaks (earthquakes)

Question 48

what is the epicenter of an earthquake

Answer 48

the point on the surface directly above the focus

Question 49

what is magnitude

Answer 49

a measure of the energy relaeased by an earthquake and ground motion

Question 50

what does the mercalli scale measure by

Answer 50

the intesity of an earthqake by the amount of damage it caused

Question 51

what does the mercalli scale use as numbers

Answer 51

roman numerals (I-XII) (1-12)

Question 52

What does the moment magnitude scale record

Answer 52

the magnitude of an earthquake and its strength

Question 53

what does the moment magnitude scale use as numbers

Answer 53

regular numbers 1-10

Question 54

what are body waves

Answer 54

waves that travel from the focus aof an earthquake through the interior of earth

Question 55

what are the 2 types of body waves

Answer 55

P-waves and S-waves

Question 56

what are P-waves also known as

Answer 56

primary waves or compression waves

Question 57

what motion do P-waves make

Answer 57

squeeze and stretch rock moterials as they pass trough earth

Question 58

what can P-waves travel through

Answer 58

any material including solids, liquids, and gases

Question 59

what are S-waves also known as

Answer 59

secondary waves or shear waves

Question 60

what motion do S-waves make

Answer 60

particles vibrate at right anglesto the direction of travel of the wave (side to side like a snake)

Question 61

what can S-waves travel trhough

Answer 61

solids, but not liquid

Question 62

which body wave is quicker

Answer 62

P-waves

Question 63

what parts of earths interior can P-waves travel through

Answer 63

all of earths interior

Question 64

what parts of earths interior can s-waves travel though

Answer 64

everything exept the outer core (its a liquid)