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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 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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 …
2. What generates Earth’s global magnetic field (magnetosphere): convection of liquid metal in the outer core, or ocean tides?
What generates Earth’s glo… · Earth’s structure & plate …
3. 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 …
4. 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 …
5. Which type of crust is denser and thinner, causing it to subduct beneath continental crust: oceanic crust or continental crust?
Which type of crust is den… · Earth’s structure & plate …
6. What instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
What instrument records th… · Earth’s structure & plate …
7. Which thick layer lies directly beneath Earth’s crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume: the mantle or the outer core?
Which thick layer lies dir… · Earth’s structure & plate …
8. 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 …
9. 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 …
10. When slow-cooling magma solidifies deep underground (such as granite), does it form large visible crystals or no crystals?
When slow-cooling magma so… · Earth’s structure & plate …
11. What class of rock forms when existing rock is transformed by high heat and pressure without melting (e.g. limestone becoming marble): metamorphic or igneous?
What class of rock forms w… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. 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 …

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. What generates Earth’s global magnetic field (magnetosphere): convection of liquid metal in the outer core, or ocean tides?
Convection of liquid metal in the outer core
The geodynamo is driven by convective motion of electrically conducting liquid iron in the outer core.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Which type of crust is denser and thinner, causing it to subduct beneath continental crust: oceanic crust or continental crust?
Oceanic crust
Basaltic oceanic crust (≈3.0 g/cm³) is denser than granitic continental crust (≈2.7 g/cm³).
6. What instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
Seismometer
A seismometer (seismograph) detects and records seismic waves.
7. Which thick layer lies directly beneath Earth’s crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume: the mantle or the outer core?
The mantle
The silicate mantle extends from the base of the crust down to about 2,900 km.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. When slow-cooling magma solidifies deep underground (such as granite), does it form large visible crystals or no crystals?
Large visible crystals
Slow cooling gives mineral crystals time to grow large (coarse-grained).
11. What class of rock forms when existing rock is transformed by high heat and pressure without melting (e.g. limestone becoming marble): metamorphic or igneous?
Metamorphic
Metamorphism alters mineral structure under intense heat and pressure.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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 …
2. What generates Earth’s global magnetic field (magnetosphere): convection of liquid metal in the outer core, or ocean tides?
What generates Earth’s glo… · Earth’s structure & plate …
3. 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 …
4. 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 …
5. Which type of crust is denser and thinner, causing it to subduct beneath continental crust: oceanic crust or continental crust?
Which type of crust is den… · Earth’s structure & plate …
6. What instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
What instrument records th… · Earth’s structure & plate …
7. Which thick layer lies directly beneath Earth’s crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume: the mantle or the outer core?
Which thick layer lies dir… · Earth’s structure & plate …
8. 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 …
9. 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 …
10. When slow-cooling magma solidifies deep underground (such as granite), does it form large visible crystals or no crystals?
When slow-cooling magma so… · Earth’s structure & plate …
11. What class of rock forms when existing rock is transformed by high heat and pressure without melting (e.g. limestone becoming marble): metamorphic or igneous?
What class of rock forms w… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. 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 …

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. What generates Earth’s global magnetic field (magnetosphere): convection of liquid metal in the outer core, or ocean tides?
Convection of liquid metal in the outer core
The geodynamo is driven by convective motion of electrically conducting liquid iron in the outer core.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Which type of crust is denser and thinner, causing it to subduct beneath continental crust: oceanic crust or continental crust?
Oceanic crust
Basaltic oceanic crust (≈3.0 g/cm³) is denser than granitic continental crust (≈2.7 g/cm³).
6. What instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
Seismometer
A seismometer (seismograph) detects and records seismic waves.
7. Which thick layer lies directly beneath Earth’s crust and makes up most of Earth’s volume: the mantle or the outer core?
The mantle
The silicate mantle extends from the base of the crust down to about 2,900 km.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. When slow-cooling magma solidifies deep underground (such as granite), does it form large visible crystals or no crystals?
Large visible crystals
Slow cooling gives mineral crystals time to grow large (coarse-grained).
11. What class of rock forms when existing rock is transformed by high heat and pressure without melting (e.g. limestone becoming marble): metamorphic or igneous?
Metamorphic
Metamorphism alters mineral structure under intense heat and pressure.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification