Name: ___________________________________
Structure of the Earth and Plate Tectonics – Study Guide
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The layer of the Earth made up of the rocks basalt and granite
List the layers of the earth starting at the surface and moving towards
the center
Describe Earth’s mantle
Describe Earth’s inner core
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Where do convection currents flow in Earth’s layers?
What does Earth’s spinning inner core create?
What happens to temperature and pressure as depth beneath Earth’s
surface increases
8 How is heat transferred beneath Earth’s surface
9 What will happen to convection currents beneath Earth’s surface as the
core cools?
10 According to Wegner’s Continental Drift theory the continents…
11 The term used to describe where ocean floor sinks into a deep ocean
trench
12 What is Pangaea?
13 (Where the sea-floor spreads apart), where does molten material rise
from the mantle?
14 What do we call ancient organisms that are preserved in rock?
15 What is the mid-ocean ridge?
16 List three types of evidence that Wegener used to support his theory of
continental drift.
17 Why was Wegener’s theory rejected by most geologists?
18 What is the force that causes Earth’s plates to move?
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At what type of boundary does a rift valley form?
What is the theory that states that Earth’s plates are in constant motion?
What is the name of the boundary where two plates collide?
What is formed where two continental plates converge?
What is the name of the boundary where two plates slide past each
other?
What forms where two continental plates diverge?
What did Wegener call the land mass when all continents were once
joined together
What is the name of the theory that states all continents where once
joined together but have since drifted to their present positions?
What do we call the sections of the lithosphere that float on top of the
asthenosphere?
28 What is the name of the boundary where oceanic plates sink under a
continental plate?
29 What is the name of the process where new oceanic crust is formed?
30 What is most likely to occur at a transform boundary?
Crust
Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
A layer of hot rock
A dense ball of solid metal, hottest
layer
Asthenosphere
Earth’s magnetic field
They increase
Convection currents
They will eventually stop
Were once joined together but have
since drifted to their current
positions
Subduction
A supercontinentent that existed
millions of years ago
Mid-ocean ridges
Fossils
Longest mountain chain in the world
Fossils, landforms, climate
Wegener could not identify the force
that could move continents
Convection currents in the
asthenosphere
Divergent
Plate tectonics
Convergent boundary
Mountain range
Transform boundary
Rift valley
Pangaea – means “all earth” in Greek
Continental drift
Plates
Convergent (subduction)
Sea-floor spreading
Earthquake
31 Why does oceanic crust subduct under continental crust?
32 What is most likely to form at an oceanic-continental convergent
boundary?
33 At which type of boundary do Island Arches form?
34 What is most likely to form at a continental-continental convergent
boundary?
35 Earth’s inner core is found inside which of the Earth’s layers?
36 In which of Earth’s layers would the pressure be the greatest?
37 The asthenosphere is part of which of Earth’s layers?
38 Which of Earth’s layers is the thickest?
Oceanic crust is more dense
Volcano (or folded mountains)
Oceanic-oceanic convergent
boundaries
Mountains
Outer core
Inner core
Mantle
Mantle
39. What type of plate boundary is occurring in diagram A?
a. convergent b. divergent
c. transform
40. What type of plate boundary is occurring in
diagram B?
a. convergent b. divergent
A
B
C
c. transform
41. What type of plate boundary is occurring in
diagram A?
a. convergent b. transform
c. divergent
42. What type of plate boundary is occurring in
diagram C?
a. convergent b. transform
c. divergent