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Quizzes > High School Quizzes > Science

Plate Tectonic Theory: Quick Practice Quiz

Review key concepts with interactive questions

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Rebecca RappUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Grade: Grade 8
Study OutcomesCheat Sheet
Colorful paper art promoting Plate Tectonics Pop Quiz for high school students.

This quiz helps you check your understanding of plate tectonic theory. Answer 20 quick high school questions on plate boundaries, seafloor spreading, earthquakes, volcanoes, and continental drift to review fast, spot gaps before a test, and find short explanations and further reading when you finish.

Which layer includes the rigid plates that move over the asthenosphere?
Inner core
Lithosphere (rigid shell forming tectonic plates)
Outer core
Lower mantle
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At which plate boundary do mid-ocean ridges form?
Intraplate boundary
Convergent boundary
Divergent boundary (plates move apart, magma rises)
Transform boundary
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Oceanic crust is generally
Granitic, less dense, and thinner than continental crust
Basaltic, less dense, and thicker than continental crust
Granitic, denser, and thicker than continental crust
Basaltic, denser, and thinner than continental crust
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Seafloor spreading is best evidenced by
Granite composition of ocean floor
Older seafloor near ridges
Symmetric magnetic stripe patterns across mid-ocean ridges
Random earthquake distribution in oceans
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Which boundary type primarily produces strike-slip faulting and shallow earthquakes?
Transform boundary (lateral motion)
Passive margin
Divergent boundary
Convergent boundary with subduction
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Why are the youngest oceanic rocks found at mid-ocean ridges?
New crust forms there as magma solidifies during spreading
Ridges trap sediments that harden into young rocks
Ridges erode faster than trenches
Old crust sinks at ridges
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Which force is primarily driven by the negative buoyancy of a cold, dense subducting slab?
Tidal drag
Coriolis force
Ridge push
Slab pull (sinking slab pulls the plate)
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What is typically found at a continental-continental convergent boundary?
Linear rift valleys with basaltic volcanism
Wide transform fault zones with basalt flows
High mountain ranges due to crustal thickening
Deep ocean trench with island arcs
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Hotspot volcanic chains like Hawaii indicate
Spreading centers migrating rapidly
Plate motion over a relatively stationary mantle plume (age increases with distance)
Random intraplate melting without pattern
Transform faulting creating volcanoes
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Which observation provided strong support for plate tectonics in the mid-20th century?
Uniform age of oceanic crust
Continents changing density
Lack of earthquakes in subduction zones
Mapping of symmetric magnetic anomalies on the seafloor
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Which volcanic arc forms on the overriding plate at an oceanic-continental convergence?
Island arc
Hotspot chain
Continental volcanic arc (e.g., Andes)
Flood basalt province
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Ridge push occurs because
Wind stress pushes ocean plates
Elevated ridge topography exerts downslope gravitational force on plates
Tides pull plates from ridges
Slab dehydrates and weakens mantle
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The Wadati-Benioff zone is a planar zone of
Crustal folding in collision zones
Earthquake foci tracing a subducting slab
High heat flow beneath mid-plate regions
Mantle plumes rising to hotspots
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What best explains andesitic magma generation at subduction zones?
Water-driven flux melting of mantle wedge above the slab
Direct melting of continental crust only
Decompression melting at ridges
Solar heating of the ocean
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Which term describes the cyclical opening and closing of ocean basins over geologic time?
Rock Cycle
Hydrologic Cycle
Wilson Cycle
Carbon Cycle
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Back-arc basins commonly form due to
Extension in the overriding plate behind a volcanic arc
Compression behind a mid-ocean ridge
Hotspot erosion
Uplift at transform boundaries
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Accretionary prisms are formed from
Granite intrusions in shields
Meteorite impacts at margins
Sediments scraped off the subducting plate at trenches
Basalt extruded at ridges
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Ophiolites are significant because they represent
Meteoric impact melt sheets
Hotspot plume heads at depth
Continental crust subducted into the mantle
Slices of oceanic lithosphere emplaced onto continents
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In a slab window scenario, what has occurred?
A gap opens in a subducting slab due to ridge-trench interaction
The mantle stops convecting locally
Two slabs stack perfectly
The trench disappears permanently
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Trench rollback refers to
The ridge moving toward the trench
The trench filling with sediments and rising
The trench migrating oceanward as the slab sinks and retreats
The plate reversing its polarity
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Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze the fundamental concepts of plate tectonics, including continental drift and seafloor spreading.
  2. Identify and describe major tectonic plates and their boundaries.
  3. Evaluate the evidence supporting plate tectonic theory through critical questioning.
  4. Apply plate tectonic concepts to solve practice quiz questions effectively.
  5. Review personal understanding to pinpoint areas needing further study and improvement.

Plate Tectonic Theory Quick Check Cheat Sheet

  1. Dive into Plate Boundaries - There are three superstar boundary types: divergent (plates move apart), convergent (plates collide), and transform (plates slide past). Each one crafts unique landforms and fuels epic geological events!
  2. Seafloor Spreading Magic - Picture new ocean crust bubbling up at mid-ocean ridges as plates pull apart - that's seafloor spreading! This continuous refill explains how new seafloor is born and why continents slowly wander.
  3. Subduction Zone Showdown - When one plate plunges beneath another, subduction zones are born - think deep ocean trenches and explosive volcanoes. This recycling center of Earth's crust keeps our planet's surface ever-changing.
  4. Earthquake Energy Release - Plates grinding, colliding, or tearing past each other store up stress until - boom! - seismic waves are unleashed. Understanding this helps predict where the next tremor might shake things up.
  5. Mountain Building Mania - Continental collisions, like India smashing into Asia, push crust skyward to form epic ranges such as the Himalayas. Witness how slow-motion plate gymnastics carve our planet's loftiest peaks.
  6. Fossils, Coastlines & Clues - Puzzle together evidence: matching fossils, jigsaw-like continental edges, and global quake patterns all shout "plate tectonics!" This detective work solidified the theory.
  7. Hotspot Happenings - Some volcanoes pop up far from boundaries, thanks to mantle plumes punching through the crust. Hawaii's chain of islands is your front-row seat to this fiery show.
  8. Rock Cycle Remix - From igneous birth at ridges to sedimentary layering and metamorphic makeovers in subduction zones, plate tectonics spins the ultimate rock recycling program.
  9. Climate & Ocean Currents - As continents shuffle over eons, ocean basins reshape and currents reroute - driving shifts in climate. Plate movements literally rewrite Earth's weather map!
  10. Theories Through Time - From Wegener's bold continental drift idea to modern seafloor spreading and subduction integration, follow the groundbreaking journey that cemented plate tectonic theory.
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