Study Notes Standard 2 Objective 2 Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift

1. Alfred Wegner proposed in the “Theory of _____________________ Drift” that the continents were once a ______________ landmass that drifted apart. Continental single

2. Alfred Wegener observed that the continents appeared to have once ____ together which led him to develop the theory of continental ________. Fit drift

3. Wegener explained that the existence of rain forest fossils that are now found in arid or cold regions of Earth is due to land masses they are found on were once closer to the ____________. equator

4. Alfred Wegener’s’ theory was _____ accepted in his time because there was not a way to explain the moving _______________. not continents

5. Earth’s ______________ record supports the continental drift theory because glacial ____________ patterns on different continents match up. Geologic erosion

6. The fossil ___________ supports the continental drift theory because fossils of the same type are found on continents that were once together. record

7. Continental drift can explain the pattern of Mesosaurus fossils in South America and ______________ by showing that they were once part of the __________ continent. Africa same

8. The discovery of sea-floor __________ helped the scientific community accept Alfred Wegener’s idea because the ridges helped to explain plate movement. ridges

9. The discovery of oceanic _______________ helps scientists to understand that the crust could be created and _________________. Trenches destroyed

10. The “striping” of the sea floor indicates that Earth’s magnetic pole has _________ from north to south poles many times in the past. switched

11. Magnetic striping of the seafloor supports the plate tectonic theory because It shows plates move ___________ from the ridge. outwards

12. Plates of Earth’s surface move from the ______ to the ____________. Ridges trenches

13. Plate tectonics is widely ___________ by scientists and the theory will change if ______ data shows it needs to be changed. Accepted new

14. Central continental plains are ______ a major ___________ area. NOT volcanic

15. The Pacific Ring of __________ is both a major earthquake zone and ____________ zone. Fire volcano

16. A _______________ forms on the ocean floor in a _______________ zone. Trench subduction

17. Magma that is rich in magnesium and __________ is called ______________. Iron mafic

18. Magma that is rich in _____________ and silica is called ______________. Feldspar felsic

19. A _____________-formed crater lake is ________ a tectonic setting where volcanoes form. Glacier NOT 2004 1914

20. Any activity that includes the movement of magma to Earth’s surface is called ________________. volcanism

21. An area of volcanic activity __________ from a tectonic plate boundary is called a ___________ spot. Far hot

22. Scientists use the pattern of alternating normal and reversed _______________ polarity in rocks as proof of sea-floor ____________________. Magnetic spreading

23. Magnetic patterns on the ocean floor were puzzling because they showed _______________ bands of normal and _______________ polarity. Alternating reversed

24. Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift was finally confirmed by ____________ supporting the idea of ______________ spreading. Evidence sea-floor

25. Modern ________________ are a result of past movements of ____________ plates. Climates tectonic

26. The theory that explains why and how continents _____________ is called _______________ tectonics. Move plate

27. Frequent _________________ in an area may indicate tectonic plate __________________. Earthquakes boundaries

28. One way tectonic plate movement affects _______________ is that it creates mountains that affect _______________ patterns. Climate wind

29. The splitting of Pangaea into two continents is part of the _____________________ cycle. supercontinent

30. Rocks that are _____________ to a mid-ocean ridge are ________________ than those that are farther away. Closer younger

The End