Plate Tectonics Quiz

Name: ______________________
1.
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Pieces of Earth's crust move on top of the

Ocean
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core

2. The ring of fire is a ring of volcanoes and earthquakes that occur along
The mid-ocean ridge
Plate boundaries
Hot spots
Only transform boundaries
3.

The place where two plates move apart is called a

Divergent boundary
Hot spot
Convergent boundary
Transform boundary

4.

Volcanoes are most likely to occur along a

Divergent boundary
Convergent boundary
Transform boundary
Sea-floor spreading

A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.

5. When two continental plates pull apart a ________________________ forms

Subduction zone
Mountain range
Earthquake
Rift valley

A.
B.
C.
D.

6. Continental crust is ______________________ than oceanic crust

Hotter
Colder
Thicker
Thinner

A.
B.
C.
D.

7.
Subduction is when
Earthquakes occur along a transform boundary
New crust is formed
One plate slides under another
New islands are formed
8.

A.
B.
C.
D.
9.
A.
B.

A map of global earthquakes and volcanoes tells you

Where the edges of the continents are
Where the earth is the hottest
Nothing, it looks random
Where the plate boundaries are
The process that continually adds new crust is:
Subduction
Earthquakes

C.
D.

Sea-floor spreading
Convection
10.

Oceanic crust is ____________________ than continental crust

Less dense
More dense
Less hot
More hot
11.
What causes the tectonic plates to move?
A.
Ocean currents
B.
Volcanoes
C.
The Coriolis effect
D.
Convection in the mantle
A.
B.
C.
D.

12.
A.
B.
C.
D.

A.
B.
C.
D.

Where two plates rub past each other in opposite directions is a

Convergent boundary
Transform boundary
Hot spot
Divergent boundary

13. The theory that states that pieces of Earth's crust are in constant, slow motion driven by movement in
the mantle is called
The theory of continental drift
The theory of Pangaea
The theory of plate tectonics
The theory of plate boundaries
14.

A.
B.
C.
D.

The place where two plates collide is called a

Transform boundary
Hot spot
Divergent boundary
Convergent boundary

15.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Hot spots are

Always moving around
Stationary, they stay in the same place
Constantly disappearing and reappearing
What creates earthquakes

A.
B.
C.
D.

16. The fact that ice floats on top of water is like the fact that
The mantle causes earthquakes and volcanoes
The mantle is colder than the crust
The less dense crust sits on top of the mantle
The crust is melting

A.
B.
C.
D.

17. The theory that continents are slowly moving over Earth's surface is called
The theory of Pangaea
The theory of continental drift
The theory of plate boundaries
The theory of plate tectonics

18.
The mid-ocean ridge occurs along a
A. Convergent boundary where new crust is formed
B. Transform boundary where crust is subducted
C. Divergent boundary where sea-floor spreading takes place
D. Divergent boundary where subduction takes place

A.
B.
C.
D.

19. A place where an unusually hot part of the mantle rises through the crust causing volcanic activity is
called a
Divergent boundary
Hot spot
Convergent boundary
Transform boundary
20.

A.
B.
C.
D.

The Himalayan mountains were formed because of a

Hot spot
Divergent boundary
Transform boundary
Convergent boundary