Tectonic Plates Basics Question Preview (ID: 59484)


Grades 6-8 Earth Science. TEACHERS: click here for quick copy question ID numbers.

Tectonic plates are huge pieces of Earth's ___.
a) lithosphere
b) asthenosphere
c) mesosphere
d) mantle

Which of the following is true?
a) Continents are a small part of a tectonic plate.
b) A continent and a tectonic plate are exactly the same thing.
c) Tectonic plates are a part of a continent.
d) Continents and tectonic plates are NOT related to one another.

Most tectonic plate boundaries are found ___.
a) on the seafloor - under the ocean
b) in the middle of continents
c) deep underground - hidden from view
d) following the shorelines around each continent

The edges of tectonic plates are mostly ___.
a) violent - with many natural disasters
b) calm - with fewer natural disasters
c) none of these
d)

The middle of tectonic plates are mostly ___.
a) calm - with fewer natural disasters
b) violent - with many natural disasters
c) none of these
d)

___ is when heat flows in circular currents.
a) convection
b) conduction
c) radiation
d) insulation

The convection cells that move tectonic plates are found in the ___.
a) asthenosphere
b) lithosphere
c) mesosphere
d) outer core

Tectonic plates move ___.
a) a few inches each year
b) a few inches each day
c) a few miles each year
d) a few miles each day

Which is the following is true?
a) The continents move across Earth's surface over LONG periods of time.
b) The continents move across Earth's surface over SHORT periods of time.
c) Tectonic plates move across Earth's surface - but the continents do not.
d) Neither the continents or the tectonic plates move.

___ are used to track the speed and direction that the tectonic plates are moving.
a) GPS satellites in space
b) military aircraft
c) naval ships and submarines
d) ocean buoys

Natural disasters, like ___, are all created by tectonic plate boundaries.
a) earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis
b) wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes
c) hurricanes, tornadoes, and super-cell thunderstorms
d) earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires

A tsunami is a giant wave created by ___.
a) an earthquake
b) high winds
c) stronger than normal tides
d) none of these

Which of the following landforms are created at tectonic plate boundaries?
a) new mountain chains
b) volcanoes
c) volcanic islands
d) all of these

A supercontinent is ___.
a) when most of Earth's continents are joined together into one large landmass
b) a very large continent
c) a continent that is NOT part of a tectonic plate
d) a continent that is surrounding by many volcanic islands

A ___ plate boundary is where plates move away from each other or DIVIDE.
a) divergent
b) convergent
c) transform
d) transvergent

A ___ plate boundary is where plates move towards each other or COLLIDE.
a) convergent
b) divergent
c) transform
d) transvergent

A ___ plate boundary is where plates grind past each other sideways in opposite directions or SLIDE.
a) transform
b) convergent
c) divergent
d) transvergent

Continental crust is ___ compare to oceanic crust.
a) thicker and more lightweight
b) thinner and heavier
c) thicker and heavier
d) thinner and more lightweight

Oceanic crust is ___ - compared to continental crust.
a) thinner and heavier
b) thicker and more lightweight
c) thicker and heavier
d) thinner and more lightweight

About how many major tectonic plates are part of the lithosphere?
a) 3
b) 10
c) 50
d) 100

Play Games with the Questions above at ReviewGameZone.com
To play games using the questions from above, visit ReviewGameZone.com and enter game ID number: 59484 in the upper right hand corner or click here.

TEACHERS / EDUCATORS
Log In
| Sign Up / Register