Earth's Changing Surface Unit Test
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Question
Why do tectonic plates on Earth’s surface move?(1 point)
Responses
The iron blocks in Earth’s core collide and move the plates.
The iron blocks in Earth’s core collide and move the plates.
The pressure from the ground pushes the plates apart.
The pressure from the ground pushes the plates apart.
The plates are surrounded by bodies of water that push the plates.
The plates are surrounded by bodies of water that push the plates.
The heat from Earth’s core moves molten rock beneath the plates.
The heat from Earth’s core moves molten rock beneath the plates.
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The correct response is: The heat from Earth’s core moves molten rock beneath the plates.
The correct answer is: The heat from Earth’s core moves molten rock beneath the plates.
To understand why tectonic plates on Earth's surface move, we need to consider the concept of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is the theory that the Earth's lithosphere, which is made up of several large and small plates, is in constant motion. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere layer beneath them.
The correct answer is: The heat from Earth’s core moves molten rock beneath the plates.
The movement of the tectonic plates is primarily driven by convection currents in the mantle, which is the layer below the Earth's crust. The Earth's core produces heat, and this heat causes the mantle to become semi-fluid (like a thick liquid). The heat from the Earth's core then generates convection currents in the mantle.
These convection currents cause the molten rock in the mantle to circulate. As the molten rock moves, it drags the tectonic plates along with it. This is similar to how hot air rises and creates currents in the atmosphere, causing weather patterns. The movement of the tectonic plates is a result of the constant flow of molten rock in the mantle due to the convection currents.
It's important to understand the different options given and evaluate their accuracy. In this case, the incorrect options are:
- The iron blocks in Earth's core collide and move the plates: While the Earth's core is made up of solid iron, it doesn't directly collide with the tectonic plates to move them. It's the convective movements in the mantle that drive plate motion.
- The pressure from the ground pushes the plates apart: While there is pressure within the Earth's crust, it doesn't push the plates apart. Instead, tectonic plates are driven by the movements of the mantle beneath them.
- The plates are surrounded by bodies of water that push the plates: While the presence of water bodies, such as oceans, can have effects on the Earth's crust, they don't directly push or move the tectonic plates. The primary driving force behind plate motion is the movement of the molten rock in the mantle.
Therefore, the correct explanation is that the movement of tectonic plates is caused by the heat from Earth's core moving the molten rock beneath the plates, which creates convection currents in the mantle.