Lesson 3.5.1

3.5.1 What is the evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics? Quiz: OCR Geography, Unit 9

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.5.1, What is the evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics?: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Geography (H481), Unit 9: Hazardous Earth, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which rigid outer layer of the Earth overlies the semi-molten asthenosphere?

    • Mesosphere
    • Lithosphere
    • Hydrosphere
    • Inner core

  2. Which semi-molten layer of the upper mantle allows tectonic plates to move?

    • Outer core
    • Asthenosphere
    • Lithosphere
    • Mantle plume

  3. What heat-transfer process within the mantle drives the movement of tectonic plates?

    • Thermal radiation
    • Conduction waves
    • Convection currents
    • Mantle drag

  4. What process generates new oceanic crust at constructive plate margins?

    • Continental rifting
    • Sea-floor spreading
    • Oceanic subduction
    • Mountain building

  5. What term describes the record of Earth magnetic field reversals preserved in rocks?

    • Radiometric dating
    • Stratigraphy
    • Paleomagnetism
    • Isostatic rebound

  6. Where on the ocean floor are the youngest rocks located?

    • Abyssal plains
    • Ocean trenches
    • Mid-ocean ridges
    • Continental shelves

  7. Which fossilised freshwater reptile was found in both South America and Africa?

    • Plesiosaur
    • Tyrannosaurus
    • Mesosaurus
    • Lystrosaurus

  8. Which fossilised seed fern provided key evidence for the ancient supercontinent Gondwana?

    • Equisetum
    • Ginkgo
    • Glossopteris
    • Lycopodium

  9. What type of ancient glacial deposit found in South Africa supports continental drift?

    • Eskers
    • Moraines
    • Tillites
    • Drumlins

  10. Which ancient supercontinent began breaking apart around 200 million years ago?

    • Rodinia
    • Laurasia
    • Pangaea
    • Gondwana

  11. What type of plate margin occurs where two tectonic plates move apart?

    • Convergent boundary
    • Collision boundary
    • Divergent boundary
    • Conservative boundary

  12. Which major landform is produced when two continental plates collide?

    • Ocean trenches
    • Rift valleys
    • Island arcs
    • Fold mountains

  13. Which feature forms where an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental plate?

    • Shield volcano
    • Rift valley
    • Ocean trench
    • Mid-ocean ridge

  14. What type of boundary occurs where tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other?

    • Conservative boundary
    • Collision boundary
    • Destructive boundary
    • Constructive boundary

  15. What submarine landform is created at oceanic divergent plate boundaries?

    • Ocean trench
    • Mid-ocean ridge
    • Island arc
    • Abyssal plain

  16. Which inclined zone of earthquake foci marks the path of a subducting plate?

    • Epicentre zone
    • Benioff zone
    • Wadati line
    • Focus zone

  17. What feature forms when a continental landmass begins to pull apart at a divergent boundary?

    • Ocean trench
    • Rift valley
    • Strike-slip fault
    • Fold valley

  18. What volcanic landform arc is created when one oceanic plate subducts under another?

    • Hotspot chain
    • Island arc
    • Coral atoll
    • Mountain arc

  19. Which magnetic mineral in cooling basalt locks in the direction of Earth magnetic field?

    • Olivine
    • Feldspar
    • Magnetite
    • Quartz

  20. How does the age of basalt change as distance from a mid-ocean ridge increases?

    • Increases symmetrically
    • Varies randomly
    • Remains constant
    • Decreases symmetrically

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