Plate Tectonics Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge on Earth's Crustal Movement

Question 1

When oceanic crust sinks and enters the space between two colliding tectonic plates, the process is called:

Accepted Answer

C. Subduction

Answer

A. Accretion

Answer

B. Orogenesis

Question 2

At a subduction zone, what happens to the denser oceanic plate?

Accepted Answer

It moves beneath the less dense continental plate.

Answer

It splits into two smaller plates.

Answer

It remains stationary.

Answer

It moves over the less dense continental plate.

Question 3

Which type of fault results from horizontal movement of plates past each other?

Accepted Answer

Strike-slip fault

Answer

Dip-slip fault

Answer

Normal fault

Answer

Thrust fault

Question 4

What is the primary driving force behind the movement of Earth's tectonic plates?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents within the Earth's mantle

Answer

Gravitational pull of the Moon

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Rotation of the Earth

Question 5

Which of the following landforms is formed by the collision of two continental plates?

Accepted Answer

Mountain range

Answer

Volcanic island arc

Answer

Mid-ocean ridge

Answer

Oceanic trench

Question 6

Which of the following is a volcanic landform commonly found near convergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Volcanic island arc

Answer

Mid-ocean ridge

Answer

Geyser

Answer

Caldera

Question 7

What is the term for the process by which new oceanic crust is created?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Metamorphism

Answer

Mountain building

Answer

Subduction

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a major type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Compressional boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Question 9

Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift was significant primarily because it:

Accepted Answer

Provided the foundation for the development of the theory of plate tectonics

Answer

Accurately predicted the locations of all the continents today

Answer

Disproved the idea that the continents were fixed in their positions

Answer

Was universally accepted by scientists at the time

Question 10

When two oceanic plates collide, which type of boundary forms?

Accepted Answer

Oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Oceanic-continental convergent boundary

Question 11

Identify the supercontinent that existed around 250 million years ago:

Accepted Answer

Pangea

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Rodinia

Question 12

Which option is NOT a recognized type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Extensional boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Question 13

What is the name of the process responsible for the formation of new oceanic crust?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Rifting

Answer

Accretion

Question 14

Identify the primary driving force behind plate tectonics:

Accepted Answer

Convection currents within the mantle

Answer

Gravitational pull of the moon

Answer

Core rotation

Answer

Wind currents

Question 15

When an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental plate, what geological feature is formed?

Accepted Answer

Subduction zone

Answer

Rift valley

Answer

Collision zone

Answer

Transform fault

Question 16

Which of the following is a potential hazard associated with plate tectonic activity?

Accepted Answer

Earthquakes

Answer

Floods

Answer

Hurricanes

Answer

Tornadoes

Question 17

Identify the instrument used to measure ground motion during an earthquake:

Accepted Answer

Seismometer

Answer

Thermometer

Answer

Barometer

Answer

Anemometer

Question 18

Which rock type is formed when molten rock cools and solidifies underground?

Accepted Answer

Igneous

Answer

Metamorphic

Answer

Sedimentary

Answer

Volcanic

Question 19

Identify the type of boundary formed when two tectonic plates slide past each other:

Accepted Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Subduction zone

Answer

Convergent boundary

Question 20

Which of the following options is NOT a type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Stationary

Answer

Transform

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Divergent

Question 21

What is the term used to describe the process where two tectonic plates collide?

Accepted Answer

Convergence

Answer

Deformation

Answer

Divergence

Answer

Subduction

Question 22

Which type of plate boundary is responsible for the formation of new ocean floor?

Accepted Answer

Divergent

Answer

Collision

Answer

Convergent

Answer

Transform

Question 23

The supercontinent that existed approximately 335 million years ago, was called:

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Rodinia

Answer

Gondwana

Question 24

Which of the following is a consequence of volcanic eruptions along convergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Formation of volcanic arcs

Answer

Divergence of tectonic plates

Answer

Formation of ocean trenches

Answer

Formation of rift valleys

Question 25

The scientific theory that explains the composition and movement of Earth's lithosphere is known as:

Accepted Answer

Plate Tectonics

Answer

Continental Drift

Answer

Wegener's Hypothesis

Answer

Seafloor Spreading

Question 26

Which layer of the Earth is primarily composed of solid rock and forms the outermost layer?

Accepted Answer

Crust

Answer

Mantle

Answer

Outer Core

Answer

Inner Core

Question 27

The scientist who first proposed the continental drift hypothesis was:

Accepted Answer

Alfred Wegener

Answer

James Hutton

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Charles Darwin

Question 28

Large-scale features on Earth's surface that are formed by the movement of tectonic plates are known as:

Accepted Answer

Landforms

Answer

Hydrosphere

Answer

Biosphere

Answer

Atmosphere

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a type of plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

Passive margin

Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Question 30

How is new oceanic crust formed?

Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Collision

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Volcanic eruptions

Question 31

What landform is typically created when two continental plates collide?

Accepted Answer

Mountain range

Answer

Volcanic island arc

Answer

Mid-ocean ridge

Answer

Oceanic trench

Question 32

What is the main force driving plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the Earth's mantle

Answer

Earth's rotation

Answer

Tidal forces

Answer

Solar radiation

Question 33

Which of these is a result of divergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Formation of new ocean floor

Answer

Subduction of oceanic crust

Answer

Formation of volcanic island arcs

Answer

Collision of continental plates

Question 34

What process returns oceanic crust back into the Earth's mantle?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Rift formation

Answer

Seafloor spreading

Answer

Collision

Question 35

Which of these is NOT a characteristic of a transform boundary?

Accepted Answer

Volcanic activity

Answer

Earthquakes

Answer

Horizontal movement of plates

Answer

Formation of fault lines

Question 36

What was the name of the supercontinent that existed about 200 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Answer

Rodinia

Question 37

Which of the following is evidence supporting the theory of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Matching rock formations found on different continents

Answer

Presence of fossils in different geological layers

Answer

Volcanic eruptions in polar regions

Answer

Observed movement of glaciers

Question 38

How do volcanic islands form at convergent plate boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Magma rises through the crust and erupts, creating islands

Answer

Plates collide and push up landmasses

Answer

Oceanic crust is subducted and melted, creating magma

Answer

Fault lines create pathways for magma to ascend

Question 39

Which supercontinent existed before it began to break apart approximately 250 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangea

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Rodinia

Answer

Laurasia

Question 40

What process results in the formation of igneous rock through the cooling of magma from the Earth's mantle?

Accepted Answer

Magmatism

Answer

Sedimentation

Answer

Metamorphism

Question 41

Which force is the predominant driver of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the mantle

Answer

Gravitational forces

Answer

Solar radiation

Answer

Wind patterns

Question 42

What is the type of boundary where two plates slide horizontally past each other?

Accepted Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Answer

Subduction zone

Question 43

Which type of igneous rock forms when magma cools quickly on or near the Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

Extrusive igneous rock

Answer

Sedimentary rock

Answer

Metamorphic rock

Answer

Intrusive igneous rock

Question 44

Which process involves the sinking of denser oceanic crust beneath less dense continental crust?

Accepted Answer

Subduction

Answer

Divergence

Answer

Obduction

Answer

Collision

Question 45

What is the main force driving the movement of Earth's tectonic plates?

Accepted Answer

Convection currents in the mantle

Answer

Earth's magnetic field

Answer

Electrostatic forces

Answer

Gravity alone

Question 46

When two tectonic plates collide and one slides beneath the other, what type of boundary is formed?

Accepted Answer

Subduction zone

Answer

Divergent boundary

Answer

Transform boundary

Answer

Convergent boundary

Question 47

What major geological feature is formed when two tectonic plates move apart?

Accepted Answer

Mid-ocean ridge

Answer

Fold mountains

Answer

Fault lines

Answer

Oceanic trenches

Question 48

What was the name of the supercontinent that existed about 200 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Pangaea

Answer

Rodinia

Answer

Gondwana

Answer

Laurasia

Question 49

Which layer of Earth is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates?

Accepted Answer

Mantle

Answer

Crust

Answer

Outer core

Answer

Inner core

Question 50

What is the main cause of earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

Sudden movement along faults

Answer

Landslides

Answer

Floods

Answer

Volcanic eruptions

Question 51

Which type of volcano is known for its steep slopes and explosive eruptions?

Accepted Answer

Stratovolcano

Answer

Caldera

Answer

Shield volcano

Answer

Cinder cone

Question 52

How is oceanic crust added to continental crust?

Accepted Answer

Accretion

Answer

Rift formation

Answer

Subduction

Answer

Collision

Question 53

Which of these major mountain ranges was formed by the collision of two continental plates?

Accepted Answer

Himalayas

Answer

Andes

Answer

Ural Mountains

Answer

Alps

Question 54

What term describes the continuous reshaping and recycling of Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

Plate tectonics

Answer

Erosion

Answer

Geomorphology

Answer

Lithification