Name ________________________________________ Date ___________ Period _______
Study Guide:
Earth System and Layers, Constructive vs. Destructive Forces, Plate Tectonics, &
Volcanoes
*** Write your answers to the following questions on loose-leaf. If you do not finish this in class, then finish it for homework.
I will check it on Tue/Wed. If you finish early, STUDY for the TEST on Thur/Fri ***
1.
What was Wegener’s theory of continental drift?
2.
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
3.
Name and describe the three types of plate boundaries.
4.
Describe how convection currents might be the cause of plate tectonics.
5.
What causes new material to form at a mid-ocean ridge on the ocean floor?
6.
Name the two spheres that are interacting in the following situation, and explain how the two spheres are interacting. A
volcano erupting.
7.
Label the layers that make up the Earth? Write a sentence about each layer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
8.
Are the forces that cause lava to erupt from a volcano and flow over Earth’s surface constructive or destructive?
9.
Describe what happens when….
a.) Two plates carrying continental crust collide ___________________________________
b.) A plate carrying oceanic crust collides with a plate carrying continental crust
_______________________________________________________________________________
c.) Two plates carrying oceanic crust collide and form __________________________________________
10.
Answer the following questions using the diagram below.
a.) Name the feature shown at A.
_________________________________________
b.) What is occurring at B? ___________________________________________
c.) What process is shown occurring at C, and why does it occur? _________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
11.
What accounts for the differences in density between oceanic and continental crust?
12.
Draw what scientists believed the Earth and it’s continents looked like 225 million years ago in circle
A, and then draw where the continents are located today in circle B.
a
13.
b
Explain what force caused the movement of the continents from one supercontinent to their present
position.
14.
Explain the theory of sea-floor spreading and draw and label a model to explain what is occurring.
15.
What is the difference between magma and lava?
16.
What is the Ring of Fire and where is it located?
17.
Contrast the silica content of magma in quiet and explosive eruptions.
18.
19.
Name and explain the three different types of heat transfer and give an example of each.
Where does heat come from that drives the convection currents in the mantle?
Where is the temperature of the mantle greater?
How do you think the convection currents affected the crust material above it?
20.
ANSWER KEY
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________ Period _______
Study Guide:
Earth System and Layers, Constructive vs. Destructive Forces,
Plate Tectonics, & Volcanoes
Essay Questions:
1. What was Wegener’s theory of continental drift?
Wegener’s theory was that continents
originated as the supercontinent, Pangaea,
then they moved horizontally to their present
location.
2. What is the theory of plate tectonics?
The theory states that the Earth’s crust is
broken into sections called plates.
Convection currents in the mantle is what
causes the plates to move around.
3. Name and describe the three types of plate
boundaries.
a. Divergent- two plates move away from one
another
b. Convergent- two plates move toward one another
c.Transform-fault – two plates slide past one
another
4. Describe how convection currents might be the
cause of plate tectonics.
The cycle of heating, rising, cooling, and
sinking of the hot plastic-like rock in the
mantle causes the plates on top to move
around.
5. What causes new material to form at a mid-ocean
ridge on the ocean floor?
Hot magma is forced upward at the midocean ridges. Then it turns and flows
sideways, carrying the seafloor away from
the ridges in both directions.
6. Name the two spheres that are interacting in the
following situation, and explain how the two spheres
are interacting. A volcano erupting.
The rock and lava in the geosphere is
erupting into the atmosphere.
7. Label the layers that make up the Earth?
Write a sentence about each layer.
1. Crust – solid, rocky outer layer
(continental and oceanic crust)
2. Mantle – hot rock, where convection
currents occur
3. Outer Core – molten/liquid metal
8. Are the forces that cause lava to erupt from a
volcano and flow over Earth’s surface
constructive or destructive?
The forces can be both constructive and
destructive. When the lava flows over the
Earth’s surface it kills and destroys things
like plants and animals. This is destructive.
When the lava hardens and turns into rock
adding to the Earth’s surface, this is
constructive.
9. Describe what happens when….
a.) Two plates carrying continental crust
collide forming mountains
b.) A plate carrying oceanic crust collides with
a plate carrying continental crust
subduction occurs; the oceanic plate goes
under the continental plate
c.) Two plates carrying oceanic crust collide
and form trenches and volcanoes
10. Answer the following questions using the diagram
below.
a.) Name the feature shown at A.
Mid-Ocean Ridge
b.) What is occurring at B?
Sea-floor spreading
c.) What process is shown occurring at C, and
why does it occur? Subduction, because the
ocean floor is so much heavier (denser) than
the land
11. What accounts for the differences in density
between oceanic and continental crust?
Oceanic crust is made mostly of basalt, a
dense rock. Continental crust is made
mostly of granite, which is less dense.
12. Draw what scientists believed the Earth and it’s
continents looked like 225 million years ago in
circle A, and then draw where the continents are
located today in circle B.
A
B
13. Explain what force caused the movement of the
continents from one supercontinent to their
present position.
The convection currents in the mantle caused
the crust on top to break apart and drift in
different directions.
14. Explain the theory of sea-floor spreading and
draw and label a model to explain what is occurring.
Sea-floor spreading adds more crust to the ocean floor.
At the same time, older strips of rock move outward
from either side of the ridge.
15.
What is the difference between magma and
lava?
Magma is melted rock found below Earth’s surface
and lava is melted rock found at the Earth’s surface.
16. What is the Ring of Fire and where is it located?
The Ring of Fire is one major belt of volcanoes
that rim the Pacific Ocean.
17. Contrast the silica content of magma in quiet and
explosive eruptions.
The magma in a quiet eruption is low in silica.
The magma of an explosive eruption is high in
silica.
18. Textbook pg. 178
19. Name and explain the three different types of
heat transfer and give an example of each.
Radiation – transfer of heat through rays or waves
Ex: sunburn
Conduction – transfer of heat through touch
Ex: using a heating pad
Convection – flow of material
Ex: boiling water
20.
Where does heat come from that drives the convection currents in
the mantle? The core
Where is the temperature of the mantle greater? Closer to the core
How do you think the convection currents affected the crust
material above it? It caused the crust to break apart and move
around