WISE Plate Tectonics

The pattern of magnetic stripes in rocks on either side of a mid-ocean ridge is the same.

Oceanic drift is the idea that the continents slowly moved over Earth's surface.

Alfred Wegner provided evidence from landforms, fossils, and climate in support of his theory of the shrinking earth.

Wegener used evidence from land features, fossils and climate to support his theory of continental drift.

What is the motion of Earth's plates like?

Which process or processes change the size and shape of the oceans?

The San Andreas fault is an example of which kind of boundary?

A collision between two pieces of continental crust at a converging boundary produces a

Wegener noticed that mountain ranges on the continents of South America and _________________ line up.

A rift valley forms where plates diverge on land.

Mid-ocean ridges form the longest mountain ranges on earth.

Wegener inferred that the ancient plants Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus once lived on a single landmass since split apart.

Earth's plates meet at boundaries.

A deep-ocean trench is an underwater mountain.

Old oceanic crust is more dense than new oceanic crust because it is

Pangaea is the supercontinent that Wegener suggested occurred on Earth about 300 million years ago. True or False?

Which features form the longest mountain ranges on Earth?

If subduction occurs faster than oceanic crust can be created, an ocean will expand.

The geological theory that states that pieces of earth's lithosphere are in constant, slow motion is the theory of

Plates slide past each other at convergent boundaries.

Oceanic crust near the mid-ocean ridge is younger than oceanic crust farther away from the ridge.

A place where two plates slip past each other, moving in opposite directions, is known as

Sonar is a device that scientists use to map the ocean floor.

Sea-floor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges.

Breaks in the crust called faults form where plates meet.

Most geologists of Wegener's time accepted his idea of drifting continents.

The farther from a mid-ocean ridge a rock sample is taken, the younger the rock is.

Where does subduction occur?

As a continent moves ____________ the poles, its climate gets colder.

As a continent moves toward the equator, its climate gets ____________.

Ocean currents drive Earth's plates.

Most geologists think that the movement of Earth's plates is caused by

Along a divergent boundary, two plates slip past each other, moving in opposite directions.

___________of the plant Glossopteris provided evidence for Wegener's hypothesis for continental drift.

Which process adds more crust to the ocean floor?

Most transform boundaries where plates move apart occur along the mid-ocean ridges.

The idea of continents moving slowly over Earth's surface was developed by German scientist ______________.

Which feature forms at convergent boundaries?

In seafloor spreading, molten material rises from the mantle and erupts

Which theory describes the motion of and force driving Earth's plates?

Molten material erupts inside the central valley of mid-ocean ridges.

Any trace of ancient organism that has been preserved in rock is called a