1. Which statement best describes the primary movement and outcome at a divergent plate boundary?
- A. Two plates slide past one another, causing frequent earthquakes.
- B. Two plates collide, forcing one to sink and be recycled into the mantle.
- C. Two plates move away from each other, allowing new rock to form in the gap.
- D. Two plates press together, crumpling the edges to build large mountain ranges.
2. At a divergent boundary, the formation of new rock is a direct result of material rising from which of Earth's layers?
- A. The inner core
- B. The outer core
- C. The crust
- D. The mantle
3. What is the correct sequence of events that creates new rock at a divergent boundary?
- A. Mantle material rises, pushing plates apart, which then causes the material to cool.
- B. Plates separate, exposing the mantle, and the rising material then cools and hardens.
- C. Plates collide, forcing rock to melt, which then rises and cools in a new location.
- D. Mantle material cools first, causing it to become dense and sink, pulling plates apart.
4. If the rate of plate separation at a divergent boundary were to increase significantly, what would be the most likely immediate consequence?
- A. The plates would begin to move toward each other.
- B. There would be a higher rate of new rock formation.
- C. Volcanic activity along the boundary would cease.
- D. The Earth's mantle would begin to cool and solidify.
5. The process occurring at a divergent boundary is often described as 'constructive'. Why is this term used?
- A. Because it destroys old, dense rock.
- B. Because it builds tall mountains.
- C. Because it creates new rock material.
- D. Because it causes powerful earthquakes.
6. At a divergent boundary, what is the immediate effect of magma from the mantle rising and hardening?
- A. The formation of deep ocean trenches.
- B. The creation of new oceanic crust.
- C. A sudden decrease in volcanic activity.
- D. The pulling together of tectonic plates.
7. What is the primary source of the material that forms new oceanic plates during seafloor spreading?
- A. Eroded sediment from the continents.
- B. Molten material from the Earth's mantle.
- C. Compacted marine life that has settled on the ocean floor over millions of years.
- D. The melting of existing older oceanic crust at the ridge.
8. How does the process of seafloor spreading contribute to the movement of tectonic plates?
- A. It creates a strong magnetic pull that drags the plates apart.
- B. The formation of new rock at the ridge actively pushes the plates apart.
- C. It pulls plates downward into the mantle through a process called subduction.
- D. It causes plates to grind past each other, resulting in frequent earthquakes.
9. Which statement accurately describes a key aspect of seafloor spreading at a divergent boundary?
- A. The oldest crust is found at the center of the ridge.
- B. The process consumes old crust, making the ocean basin smaller.
- C. New plate material originates from the mantle.
- D. It is a process that only occurs in the Pacific Ocean basin.
10. Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at divergent boundaries. What geological feature is characteristic of these locations on the ocean floor?
- A. A deep ocean trench where one plate is forced to sink.
- B. A mid-ocean ridge where new crust is actively being formed.
- C. A large mountain range formed by the collision of two continental plates.
- D. A transform fault where plates slide horizontally past each other.