Lithosphere Movements
What do we call the violent shaking that occurs when tension is released between tectonic plates?
Earthquake
Divergent tectonic plate boundaries under the ocean most commonly form _____________________.
ocean ridges
What fossil evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support his theory of Continental Drift?
A volcano found in the center of a tectonic plate likely formed over a ______________
hot spot
Why does heavy grazing by farm animals nearby increase erosion on a stream bed?
The animals eat the grass that helps hold the soil in place.
What type of force causes a thrust (or reverse) fault?
Compressional forces
What forms when two continental plates collide?
Mountains
What climatic evidence did Alfred Wegener have to support his theory of Continental Drift?
coal deposits in polar regions and glacial striations in tropical regions
Which layer of Earth is the source of magma that makes it to the earth's surface to form volcanoes?
(lithosphere, asthenosphere, inner core)
asthenosphere
Why does removing trees from an area increase soil erosion?
There will be fewer tree roots to hold the soil in place.
Why are earthquakes common along the San Andreas fault, but not volcanoes?
The San Andreas fault is a transform fault. Plates slide past each other.
What forms under the ocean when oceanic crust is forced under either oceanic or continental crust?
Subduction zone (or trench)
What causes the plates to spread apart at divergent boundaries?
Liquid magma from the mantle rises to the surface pushing the plates apart.
Why do Hawaii and other volcanic islands have black sand beaches?
They are made of basalt, which is a type of igneous rock.
How does adding layers of mulch to soil improve the soil and environment?
The mulch helps hold water and as it decomposes, it returns nutrients to the soil.
What fuels plate tectonics?
Convection currents in the mantle
Volcanoes tend to form when tectonic plates move. Interactions between what two types of plates are LEAST likely to produce volcanoes?
Two converging continental plates
What could cause a fold in a layer of sedimentary rock?
converging of crustal plates
or compression
Tension (pulling apart) from a divergent plate
Why are do there tend to be flooding problems in urban areas ?
They often have paved roads, parking lots, buildings, etc that affect how the ground absorbs rainwater.
After an earthquake, a one side of a stream bed has shifted 10 feet to the left of the OTHER side of the stream bed. What type of fault was this likely to be?
(convergent, divergent, transform)
Transform
How can the Pacific Ring of Fire be "evidence" of plate tectonics?
The presence of volcanoes and earthquakes there indicate that plates are moving.
How could you describe the age of the rocks on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The youngest rocks are found at the ridge, while older rocks are found the further you move away from the ridge.
The Dust Bowl, a series of storms that occurred after decades of poor farming practices such as constant tilling and planting the same crop over and over--combined with 10 years of drought, left soil depleted and barren. Which farming practice was likely introduced to allow different crops to naturally return nutrients the soil?
Crop rotation
If all of the trees are cut down on a mountain, what could happen to the topsoil on that mountain if there are frequent heavy rains?