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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 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 …
2. 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 …
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. 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 …
5. 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 …
6. 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 …
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 instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
What instrument records th… · Earth’s structure & plate …
9. 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 …
10. 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 …
11. What class of rock forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (e.g. basalt and granite): igneous or sedimentary?
What class of rock forms w… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. 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 …

12 questions · Seed 46 · 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 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.
2. 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.
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. 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).
5. 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.
6. 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.
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 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. What class of rock forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (e.g. basalt and granite): igneous or sedimentary?
Igneous
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten magma (intrusive) or lava (extrusive).
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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 …
2. 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 …
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. 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 …
5. 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 …
6. 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 …
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 instrument records the ground vibrations (seismic waves) produced by an earthquake: a seismometer or a barometer?
What instrument records th… · Earth’s structure & plate …
9. 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 …
10. 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 …
11. What class of rock forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (e.g. basalt and granite): igneous or sedimentary?
What class of rock forms w… · Earth’s structure & plate …
12. 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 …

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Earth’s structure & plate boundaries

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. 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.
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. 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).
5. 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.
6. 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.
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 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. What class of rock forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (e.g. basalt and granite): igneous or sedimentary?
Igneous
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten magma (intrusive) or lava (extrusive).
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification