PLATE TECTONICS REVIEW
Name_______________________________________
You will write your answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper and
staple it to this worksheet. This will be turned next week in addition to your final
project.
1. Why is solid Earth layered?
2. What theory explains the position of the continents and occurrence of
earthquakes and volcanoes?
3. How did scientists “discover” the layers of the Earth? Describe these layers
based on composition.
4. List the Earth’s interior layers based on physical properties in order from the
center to the surface.
5. How are the inner and outer core of the Earth alike? How do they differ?
6. What are two types of seismic waves? How are they different?
7. What elements make up most of the mantle?
8. Where is the mantle located? How far does it extend below the Earth’s surface?
9. Distinguish between a landmass, continent, and island.
10. Compare oceanic crust with continental crust.
11. Where is the asthenosphere and lithosphere?
12. How does stress affect the Earth’s crust?
13. Compare folding and faulting.
14. What balances the downward force of the crust?
15. What is the hypothesis of Continental Drift? Who came up with the theory
of continental drift?
16. What is the ultimate cause of continental drift?
17. List the evidence that supports this hypothesis of continental drift.
18. Why did some scientists reject Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis?
19. What is the name of the super continent that Wegener named in his
hypothesis?
20. Describe ocean ridges and deep-ocean trenches.
21. Explain what occurs during seafloor spreading and list the evidence for
seafloor spreading. Why is the ocean floor so young? (< 200 mya)
22. What kind of plate boundary is a mid-ocean ridge?
23. What is the theory of plate tectonics in your own words? How was the
theory developed over time?
24. List and describe the 3 types of plate boundaries. What types of landforms does
each type create?
25. What force of the Earth drives the motion of tectonic?
26. How are the locations of volcanoes related to plate boundaries?
27. Identify the 7 continents.