Grade 10 Science – Plate Tectonics Review

Question-and-Answer flashcards covering key terms, processes, evidence, and effects related to the Theory of Plate Tectonics for Grade 10 Science review.

What does the Theory of Plate Tectonics explain?

The movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates and how they shape Earth’s surface over time.

What is Earth's outermost solid layer called?

The crust.

What are tectonic plates?

Large rigid pieces of Earth’s lithosphere that move over the asthenosphere.

What was Pangaea?

An ancient supercontinent that united all continents before breaking apart.

What is the primary driving force behind plate movement?

Convection currents in the mantle caused by heat from Earth’s core.

Which mantle layer allows tectonic plates to move?

The asthenosphere, a semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere.

Name three landforms created by plate interactions.

Mountains, volcanoes, and trenches.

Approximately how fast do tectonic plates move?

A few centimeters per year.

Which scientist proposed the theory of continental drift?

Alfred Wegener.

What fossil evidence supports continental drift?

Identical fossils of plants and animals found on widely separated continents.

How do matching rock formations support plate tectonics?

Identical rock strata on different continents indicate they were once joined.

What modern tool accurately measures plate motion?

The Global Positioning System (GPS).

How do matching coastlines serve as evidence for continental drift?

Coastlines like those of South America and Africa fit together like puzzle pieces.

Why does coal found in Antarctica support past continental connections?

Coal forms from ancient forests, showing Antarctica was once in a warmer, forested region.

What geologic activities are commonly found at plate boundaries?

Volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain building.

What happens at a divergent plate boundary?

Two plates move apart, causing sea-floor spreading, mid-ocean ridges, or rift valleys.

What occurs at a convergent boundary?

Two plates collide, forming trenches, mountains, or subduction zones.

What characterizes a transform boundary?

Plates slide past each other horizontally, causing earthquakes.

What process creates new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges?

Sea-floor spreading.

How are volcanic island arcs formed?

When two oceanic plates converge and the subducting plate melts, rising magma forms a chain of volcanic islands.

What is slab pull?

The force exerted as a dense, subducting plate sinks into the mantle and drags the rest of the plate along.

What is ridge push?

Gravity pushing plates away from a mid-ocean ridge as newly formed, elevated crust cools and becomes denser.

Which layer of Earth is the hottest?

The inner core.

Which layer is composed of liquid metal and generates the magnetic field?

The outer core.

What is the thickest layer of Earth?

The mantle.

What is the lithosphere?

The rigid layer comprising the crust and uppermost mantle, broken into tectonic plates.

How are mountains formed by plate tectonics?

Two continental plates collide and compress, pushing land upward.

What is a rift valley?

A deep valley that forms where continental plates diverge.

How do trenches form?

When one tectonic plate subducts beneath another at a convergent boundary.

What causes earthquakes?

Sudden release of energy when stress built up by moving plates is released along faults or plate boundaries.

Why is Earth described as a dynamic planet?

Its surface is continually reshaped by internal tectonic forces and external processes.

Give an example of a rapid change to Earth’s surface caused by plate tectonics.

An earthquake or volcanic eruption.

Give an example of a slow change to Earth’s surface caused by plate tectonics.

Mountain building or continental drift over millions of years.

What geological process builds up landforms by adding sediment?

Deposition.

What natural event is NOT caused by plate tectonics?

Ocean tides, which are driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.

What is the main driver of tectonic plate movement?

Convection currents in the mantle.

What results from Earth’s plate movement?

Formation and modification of mountain ranges, trenches, volcanoes, and ocean basins.

What effect occurs when plates slide past each other?

Earthquakes due to friction and stress release.

What earthquake evidence supports that plates are constantly moving?

Frequent seismic activity concentrated along plate boundaries.

What features commonly form at divergent boundaries in the ocean?

Mid-ocean ridges.

What features commonly form at divergent boundaries on land?

Rift valleys.

Name two forces, besides convection, that contribute to plate movement.

Slab pull and ridge push.