Which theory states that Earth's surface is divided into moving plates?

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Study for the GACE Elementary Education II Test. Prep with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which theory states that Earth's surface is divided into moving plates?

Explanation:
Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's surface is divided into moving plates that ride on the underlying mantle. These plates drift due to convection currents in the mantle and interact at their boundaries—pulling apart, colliding, or sliding past one another—producing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation. This theory brings together the idea that continents can move (continental drift) and explains how new ocean floor forms at mid-ocean ridges (seafloor spreading). Geomagnetism helps confirm plate movements through rock magnetization records, but it isn’t the theory that states the surface is divided into moving plates.

Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's surface is divided into moving plates that ride on the underlying mantle. These plates drift due to convection currents in the mantle and interact at their boundaries—pulling apart, colliding, or sliding past one another—producing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation. This theory brings together the idea that continents can move (continental drift) and explains how new ocean floor forms at mid-ocean ridges (seafloor spreading). Geomagnetism helps confirm plate movements through rock magnetization records, but it isn’t the theory that states the surface is divided into moving plates.

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