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(Stnd 20) Quiz-Plate Tectonics (Fossils & Features) WS

 

 1. 
Plate tectonic movement best explains a variety of geological features found around the globe.
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Multi-Select Question
Select the best examples of geological features which support the theory of tectonic plate movement. (Select 3 of the 5 choices.)
 a.
Fossil evidence of plants and animals found across multiple continents
 b.
Climate evidence contrasting modern climatic conditions with past climatic conditions.
 c.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (seafloor spreading) along a massive divergent plate boundary.
 d.
Volcanoes formed in subduction zones where plates are colliding with each other.
 e.
Mountain ranges formed along convergent plate boundaries.
 

 2. 
Alfred Wegener invested a great deal of time studying South America and Africa to find evidence to support his ideas about tectonic plate movement.
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Multi-Select Question
Select evidence that supports the idea that Africa and South America were once joined. (Select 3 of the 5 choices.)
 a.
Fossils of dinosaurs have been located in Africa and in South America.
 b.
The landform shapes of these two continents appear to fit together like puzzle pieces.
 c.
Volcanoes are found on both continents in subduction zones at transform boundaries.
 d.
Rock from an African mountain range matches up with similar rock in South America.
 e.
 A type of fossil plant (Glossopteris) has been found on both continents.
 

 3. 
Imagine that you are a geologist in 1913 working with Alfred Wegener. You are attempting to find evidence to support his Continental Drift theory. Together you examine the Appalachian Mountains in North America, the Scottish Highlands in Great Britain, and the Caledonian Mountains in Scandinavia (see map below). You find that these mountain ranges have very similar features.
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Multi-Select Question
As Wegener’s partner you are asked to construct an explanation about his Continental Drift theory. Which of the following points about the previously mentioned mountain ranges would best support Wegener’s claims that the continents were once joined together as a single huge landmass.  (Select 3 of the 5 choices).
 a.
All of these mountain ranges were formed at divergent plate boundaries.
 b.
The structure of the rock formations in these mountains are very similar.
 c.
These mountain ranges are composed of the same types of rocks.
 d.
All three of these mountain ranges are located in Arctic climate zones.
 e.
These mountain ranges are all the same age. (Formed at the same time).
 

 4. 
Multi-Select Question
What were the three primary sources of evidence used by Alfred Wegener to support his Continental Drift Theory? (Select 3 of the 5 choices.)
 a.
Seafloor spreading evidence at divergent plate boundaries on the oceans.
 b.
Climate evidence contrasting modern climatic conditions with past climatic conditions.
 c.
Fossil evidence of plants and animals found across multiple continents
 d.
Landform evidence regarding the shapes of the continents
 e.
Convergent plate boundary evidence that formed mountain ranges.
 

 

 5. 
The Himalayan mountains in Asia are located along India’s northern border. 
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What cause and effect connection below best explains how this mountain range was formed?
a.
Cause: The Indian tectonic plate collided with the Eurasian plate.
Effect: Lithosphereic rock along the plate boundaries was crumpled and lifted.
b.
Cause: An elongated magma plume ruptured the lithosphere in the Mid-Atlantic.
Effect: Seafloor spreading occurred which formed the Himalayan mountain range.
c.
Cause: Plate movement changed Asia’s climate resulting in increased precipitation.
Effect: Tremendous rainfall led to massive erosion which formed the Himalayas.
d.
Cause: Convection currents melted Eurasia’s lithosphere over a large area.
Effect: The Eurasian tectonic plate slipped southwards impacting the Indian plate.
 

 6. 
How did scientists discover that rocks farther away from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge were older than those near it?
a.
by studying rocks found in the Appalachian mountains and Himalayan mountains.
b.
by determining the age of rock samples obtained by drilling on the sea floor
c.
by measuring how fast the Indian plate was colliding with the Eurasian plate.
d.
by observing undersea volcanic eruptions in the Pacific ocean.
 

 7. 
A large semi-circular area in the Pacific ocean that includes numerous volcanoes and frequently experiences earthquakes is called the ring of fire.
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How does volcanic activity and earthquakes along the ring of fire support tectonic plate theory?
a.
Heat rising from the core via convection can melt rock. As pressure builds up this magma can erupt on the surface to form volcanoes.
b.
Earthquakes generally only occur along inactive fault lines in the Northern Hemisphere.
c.
Earthquakes are powerful seismic waves that propagate through lithospheric rock.
d.
Volcanoes and earthquakes often occur along the boundary of the Pacific plate as it collides with other tectonic plates.
 

 8. 
According to Wegener’s ideas about continental drift...
a.
...the continents are slowly melting due to heat from Earth’s core.
b.
...the Earth is slowly cooling and shrinking.
c.
...the Earth’s diameter  is gradually increasing as new crust is formed.
d.
...the continents were once joined together in a single landmass.
 

 9. 
To support his Continental Drift theory, Alfred Wegener studied fossils found on different continents. He discovered that Mesosaurus fossils (a freshwater reptile from the Permian period) provided good evidence that supported his ideas concerning tectonic plate movement.
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How do Mesosaurus fossils support the Continental Drift/Plate Tectonics theory?
a.
Mesosaurs were slender carnivorous reptiles that thrived in the Permian period, and they are related to modern turtles and tortoises.
b.
These organisms may have been extinguished during the Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction that is estimated to have wiped out approximately 96% of life on Earth.
c.
Mesosaur fossils are found in South America and Africa. As a freshwater organism, it is highly unlikely that these reptiles could swim across the vast Atlantic ocean.
d.
Fossils of Mesosaurs are only located along active geological fault lines at convergent boundaries in subduction zones. This is solid evidence for plate tectonics.
 

 10. 
Wegener confirmed that flora and fauna fossils matched the same types of fossils across different continents. This supported his claim that the continents were once joined together. Two key examples that he studied were Mesosaurus fossils (a freshwater reptile) and Glossopteris fossils (fern-like gymnosperm plant).
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Which of the following statements about Glossopteris fossils provides the best evidence to support Wegener’s Continental Drift theory?
a.
Glossopteridales thrived in the Southern Hemisphere during the Permian Period, but they went extinct during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event.
b.
Glossopteris fossils are found in India, South America, Australia, Africa, and Antarctica. This distribution is best explained by tectonic plate movement.
c.
These organisms were initially thought to be ferns, but modern analysis suggests that they were deciduous gymnosperm plants.
d.
Ferns are plants that do not bear flowers. Gymnosperms, such as Glossopteridales, on the other hand, are believed to have been flower bearing.
 



 
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