Structure
What are tectonic plates made of that make up the Earth's surface?
Answer: Tectonic plates are made of massive slabs of solid rock.
When did Pangaea exist?
Answer: Pangaea existed about 335 million years ago.
What are openings in the Earth's crust through which molten rock, gases, and ash are ejected called?
Answer: Volcanoes are openings in the Earth's crust through which molten rock, gases, and ash are ejected.
How are mountains formed through tectonic plates at convergent boundaries?
Answer: Mountains are formed through the collision of two continental plates at convergent boundaries.
What causes earthquakes along faults?
Answer: Earthquakes are caused by sudden movements of tectonic plates along faults.
How many major tectonic plates are there on Earth?
Answer: There are seven major tectonic plates.
What happened to Pangaea over millions of years?
Answer: Over millions of years, Pangaea broke apart.
Where are volcanoes often found in relation to plate boundaries?
Answer: Volcanoes are often found near plate boundaries.
What forces the Earth's crust to buckle and fold during mountain formation?
Answer: The immense pressure and heat generated during the collision of tectonic plates force the Earth's crust to buckle and fold.
How are shockwaves through the Earth generated during earthquakes?
Answer: Shockwaves through the Earth are generated when built-up pressure is released during earthquakes.
What is the semi-fluid layer of the Earth's mantle that tectonic plates float on?
Answer: The semi-fluid layer of the Earth's mantle that tectonic plates float on is the Earth's mantle itself.
How did the movement of tectonic plates contribute to the breaking apart of Pangaea?
Answer: The movement of tectonic plates caused Pangaea to break apart, eventually forming the continents we recognize today.
What is the Ring of Fire known for?
The Ring of Fire is known for its many active volcanoes.
Give an example of a majestic mountain range formed through tectonic plate collision.
Answer: An example of a majestic mountain range formed through tectonic plate collision is the Himalayas.
What scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?
Answer: The Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.