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Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Examine Earth’s internal layers, tectonic plate boundaries and the rock cycle. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What do we call the rigid outer shell of Earth comprising the crust and uppermost solid mantle: the lithosphere or the stratosphere?
What do we call the rigid … · Earth’s structure & plate …
2. What ocean wave can be triggered when a powerful submarine earthquake vertically displaces the seafloor: a tsunami or a spring tide?
What ocean wave can be tri… · Earth’s structure & plate …
3. What type of tectonic plate boundary occurs where two plates move apart and new oceanic crust forms: divergent or convergent?
What type of tectonic plat… · Earth’s structure & plate …
4. Is Earth’s inner core solid or liquid despite its extreme temperature, due to immense pressure?
Is Earth’s inner core soli… · Earth’s structure & plate …
5. What drives the slow movement of tectonic plates across Earth’s surface: mantle convection and slab pull, or surface wind patterns?
What drives the slow movem… · Earth’s structure & plate …
6. Which seismic body waves travel fastest through the Earth and can pass through both solids and liquids: P-waves (primary) or S-waves (secondary)?
Which seismic body waves t… · Earth’s structure & plate …
7. What type of plate boundary occurs where two plates collide, forming fold mountains or subduction trenches: convergent or transform?
What type of plate boundar… · Earth’s structure & plate …
8. What do we call molten rock while it is still beneath Earth’s surface, before it erupts as lava: magma or shale?
What do we call molten roc… · Earth’s structure & plate …
9. What class of rock forms from the compaction and cementation of deposited layers of sand, silt or shells (e.g. sandstone and limestone): sedimentary or metamorphic?
What class of rock forms f… · Earth’s structure & plate …
10. What is the thin, outermost rocky layer of the Earth called: the crust or the inner core?
What is the thin, outermos… · Earth’s structure & plate …
11. Why are fossils almost always found in sedimentary rock rather than igneous rock: molten magma destroys organic remains, or sedimentary rock forms in volcanoes?
Why are fossils almost alw… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. What is the point on Earth’s surface directly above the underground focus (hypocentre) of an earthquake called: the epicentre or the crater?
What is the point on Earth… · Earth’s structure & plate …

12 questions · Seed 104738 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What do we call the rigid outer shell of Earth comprising the crust and uppermost solid mantle: the lithosphere or the stratosphere?
Lithosphere
Tectonic plates are fragments of the rigid lithosphere floating on the asthenosphere.
2. What ocean wave can be triggered when a powerful submarine earthquake vertically displaces the seafloor: a tsunami or a spring tide?
Tsunami
Sudden vertical displacement of the seabed displaces a huge volume of water, generating a tsunami.
3. What type of tectonic plate boundary occurs where two plates move apart and new oceanic crust forms: divergent or convergent?
Divergent
At divergent boundaries (such as mid-ocean ridges), plates pull apart and magma rises to solidify.
4. Is Earth’s inner core solid or liquid despite its extreme temperature, due to immense pressure?
Solid
Crushing pressure at the centre of the Earth keeps the iron-nickel inner core solid.
5. What drives the slow movement of tectonic plates across Earth’s surface: mantle convection and slab pull, or surface wind patterns?
Mantle convection and slab pull
Thermal convection in the mantle together with gravity-driven slab pull and ridge push move the plates.
6. Which seismic body waves travel fastest through the Earth and can pass through both solids and liquids: P-waves (primary) or S-waves (secondary)?
P-waves (primary)
Compressional P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and travel through both solid rock and liquid core.
7. What type of plate boundary occurs where two plates collide, forming fold mountains or subduction trenches: convergent or transform?
Convergent
Convergent boundaries bring plates together through subduction or continental collision.
8. What do we call molten rock while it is still beneath Earth’s surface, before it erupts as lava: magma or shale?
Magma
Molten rock underground is called magma; once it erupts onto the surface it is called lava.
9. What class of rock forms from the compaction and cementation of deposited layers of sand, silt or shells (e.g. sandstone and limestone): sedimentary or metamorphic?
Sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks form from accumulated mineral or organic sediments.
10. What is the thin, outermost rocky layer of the Earth called: the crust or the inner core?
The crust
The crust is Earth’s outermost solid shell, above the mantle.
11. Why are fossils almost always found in sedimentary rock rather than igneous rock: molten magma destroys organic remains, or sedimentary rock forms in volcanoes?
Molten magma destroys organic remains
Sedimentary layers gently bury organisms, whereas extreme igneous heat destroys them.
12. What is the point on Earth’s surface directly above the underground focus (hypocentre) of an earthquake called: the epicentre or the crater?
Epicentre
The epicentre is the surface point vertically above the earthquake focus.

12 questions · Seed 104738 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What do we call the rigid outer shell of Earth comprising the crust and uppermost solid mantle: the lithosphere or the stratosphere?
What do we call the rigid … · Earth’s structure & plate …
2. What ocean wave can be triggered when a powerful submarine earthquake vertically displaces the seafloor: a tsunami or a spring tide?
What ocean wave can be tri… · Earth’s structure & plate …
3. What type of tectonic plate boundary occurs where two plates move apart and new oceanic crust forms: divergent or convergent?
What type of tectonic plat… · Earth’s structure & plate …
4. Is Earth’s inner core solid or liquid despite its extreme temperature, due to immense pressure?
Is Earth’s inner core soli… · Earth’s structure & plate …
5. What drives the slow movement of tectonic plates across Earth’s surface: mantle convection and slab pull, or surface wind patterns?
What drives the slow movem… · Earth’s structure & plate …
6. Which seismic body waves travel fastest through the Earth and can pass through both solids and liquids: P-waves (primary) or S-waves (secondary)?
Which seismic body waves t… · Earth’s structure & plate …
7. What type of plate boundary occurs where two plates collide, forming fold mountains or subduction trenches: convergent or transform?
What type of plate boundar… · Earth’s structure & plate …
8. What do we call molten rock while it is still beneath Earth’s surface, before it erupts as lava: magma or shale?
What do we call molten roc… · Earth’s structure & plate …
9. What class of rock forms from the compaction and cementation of deposited layers of sand, silt or shells (e.g. sandstone and limestone): sedimentary or metamorphic?
What class of rock forms f… · Earth’s structure & plate …
10. What is the thin, outermost rocky layer of the Earth called: the crust or the inner core?
What is the thin, outermos… · Earth’s structure & plate …
11. Why are fossils almost always found in sedimentary rock rather than igneous rock: molten magma destroys organic remains, or sedimentary rock forms in volcanoes?
Why are fossils almost alw… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. What is the point on Earth’s surface directly above the underground focus (hypocentre) of an earthquake called: the epicentre or the crater?
What is the point on Earth… · Earth’s structure & plate …

12 questions · Seed 104738 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What do we call the rigid outer shell of Earth comprising the crust and uppermost solid mantle: the lithosphere or the stratosphere?
Lithosphere
Tectonic plates are fragments of the rigid lithosphere floating on the asthenosphere.
2. What ocean wave can be triggered when a powerful submarine earthquake vertically displaces the seafloor: a tsunami or a spring tide?
Tsunami
Sudden vertical displacement of the seabed displaces a huge volume of water, generating a tsunami.
3. What type of tectonic plate boundary occurs where two plates move apart and new oceanic crust forms: divergent or convergent?
Divergent
At divergent boundaries (such as mid-ocean ridges), plates pull apart and magma rises to solidify.
4. Is Earth’s inner core solid or liquid despite its extreme temperature, due to immense pressure?
Solid
Crushing pressure at the centre of the Earth keeps the iron-nickel inner core solid.
5. What drives the slow movement of tectonic plates across Earth’s surface: mantle convection and slab pull, or surface wind patterns?
Mantle convection and slab pull
Thermal convection in the mantle together with gravity-driven slab pull and ridge push move the plates.
6. Which seismic body waves travel fastest through the Earth and can pass through both solids and liquids: P-waves (primary) or S-waves (secondary)?
P-waves (primary)
Compressional P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and travel through both solid rock and liquid core.
7. What type of plate boundary occurs where two plates collide, forming fold mountains or subduction trenches: convergent or transform?
Convergent
Convergent boundaries bring plates together through subduction or continental collision.
8. What do we call molten rock while it is still beneath Earth’s surface, before it erupts as lava: magma or shale?
Magma
Molten rock underground is called magma; once it erupts onto the surface it is called lava.
9. What class of rock forms from the compaction and cementation of deposited layers of sand, silt or shells (e.g. sandstone and limestone): sedimentary or metamorphic?
Sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks form from accumulated mineral or organic sediments.
10. What is the thin, outermost rocky layer of the Earth called: the crust or the inner core?
The crust
The crust is Earth’s outermost solid shell, above the mantle.
11. Why are fossils almost always found in sedimentary rock rather than igneous rock: molten magma destroys organic remains, or sedimentary rock forms in volcanoes?
Molten magma destroys organic remains
Sedimentary layers gently bury organisms, whereas extreme igneous heat destroys them.
12. What is the point on Earth’s surface directly above the underground focus (hypocentre) of an earthquake called: the epicentre or the crater?
Epicentre
The epicentre is the surface point vertically above the earthquake focus.

12 questions · Seed 104738 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification