Plate Tectonics Questions

The rocky outer layer of the Earth is known as the lithosphere. The lithosphere consists of seven or eight major plates along with many minor plates. The lithosphere is composed of seven or eight major plates and many minor plates.

Following are the layers of the lithosphere.

• Crust
• Mantle
• Outer core
• Inner core
• Lithosphere
• Asthenosphere
• Outer core
• Inner core

Read more: Plate Tectonics

Important Plate Tectonics Questions with Answers

1. The relative movement of the plates ranges from _______ annually.

1. 0 to 10 mm
2. 0 to 1 mm
3. 0 to 100 mm
4. 10 to 1000 mm

Answer: c) 0 to 100 mm

Explanation: movement of plates ranges from 0 to 100 mm annually.

2. Plate tectonics results in ______

1. Mountain-building
2. Earthquake
3. Volcanism
4. All the above options

Answer: d) All the above options

Explanation: Plate tectonics causes earthquakes, mountain-building, and volcanism.

3. Eruption of magma onto the surface is referred to as ______

1. Earthquake
2. Thunder
3. Lightning
4. Volcanism

Answer: d) Volcanism

Explanation: Volcanism is the eruption of magma on the planet.

4. The Earth’s mantle zone lying beneath the lithosphere is known as ______

1. Atmosphere
2. Asthenosphere
3. Biosphere
4. Hydrosphere

Answer: b) Asthenosphere

Explanation: The asthenosphere extends from about 100 km to approximately 700 km below Earth’s surface.

5. What are the two types of lithosphere?

Types of the lithosphere are:

• Oceanic
• Continental

6. State true or false: There are no dynamic tectonic plates found in earth’s crust.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

Answer: b) FALSE

Explanation: The earth’s crust also consists of several large dynamic tectonic plates.

7. Does the oceanic trench formation take place at plate boundaries?

Yes, oceanic trench formation occurs along these plate boundaries.

8. What are the types of plate boundaries?

Types of plate boundaries are:

• Transform boundaries
• Divergent boundaries
• Convergent boundaries
• Transform boundaries
• Plate boundary zones

9. ______ happens when both plates move apart from one other.

1. Transform boundaries
2. Divergent boundaries
3. Convergent boundaries
4. Transform boundaries

Answer: b) Divergent boundaries

Explanation: Divergent boundaries take place when both plates move apart from each other.

10. The primary mechanism by which mountains are formed on continents is known as _______

1. Earthquake
2. Thunder
3. Orogeny
4. Volcanism

Answer: c) Orogeny

Explanation: Orogeny is the phenomenon by which mountains are formed

Watch the video below to understand the composition of each layer

Practice Questions

1. What is orogeny?
2. What is lithosphere?
3. Define the asthenosphere.
4. What is plate tectonics?
5. What are the layers of the lithosphere?