Lesson Y9-U04-L01

The Restless Earth: Structure and Plates Quiz: KS3 Geography, Unit 16

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y9-U04-L01, The Restless Earth: Structure and Plates: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Geography (National Curriculum), Unit 16: Year 9: Dynamic Landscapes: Tectonics and Ice, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the outermost solid layer of the Earth?

    • Mantle
    • Crust
    • Inner core
    • Outer core

  2. Which layer of the Earth do we live on?

    • The mantle.
    • The outer core.
    • The crust.
    • The inner core.

  3. Which layer is made of hot rock that can slowly flow?

    • The mantle.
    • The crust.
    • The outer core.
    • The inner core.

  4. What is the Earth's inner core primarily composed of?

    • Compressed gas
    • Solid metal
    • Liquid magma
    • Molten rock

  5. Roughly what temperature is the inner core?

    • About 500 degrees Celsius.
    • About 55,000 degrees Celsius.
    • About 55 degrees Celsius.
    • About 5,500 degrees Celsius.

  6. What is a tectonic plate?

    • Moving crust slab
    • Fixed ocean floor
    • Solid core section
    • Stationary mantle layer

  7. Roughly how many large tectonic plates are there?

    • About 15.
    • About 3.
    • About 150.
    • About 1,500.

  8. What is the line where two tectonic plates meet called?

    • A plate boundary.
    • A contour line.
    • A weather front.
    • An isobar.

  9. How does continental crust compare with oceanic crust?

    • Basaltic and sunken
    • Younger and heavier
    • Thinner and denser
    • Thicker and lighter

  10. Why does hot mantle rock rise towards the Earth's surface?

    • Higher pressure
    • Increased gravity
    • Lower density
    • Greater magnetism

  11. What drives the movement of tectonic plates in the mantle?

    • Solar radiation
    • Atmospheric pressure
    • Convection currents
    • Lunar gravity

  12. Name the major zone of frequent earthquakes surrounding the Pacific Ocean.

    • Ring of Fire
    • Alpine Belt
    • African Rift
    • Mid-Atlantic Ridge

  13. Which country lies on several plate boundaries and so experiences many earthquakes?

    • Japan.
    • Ireland.
    • Norway.
    • The UK.

  14. Why does the UK experience very few major earthquakes?

    • Plate interior location
    • Destructive margin
    • Subduction zone
    • Oceanic trench

  15. Where are global tectonic plate boundaries primarily located?

    • Equatorial rainforests
    • Along ocean edges
    • Polar ice caps
    • Centre of continents

  16. What is typically experienced in the middle of a large tectonic plate?

    • Frequent volcanic eruptions
    • Severe daily earthquakes
    • Low seismic activity
    • Rapid crust creation

  17. Which location is situated safely in a plate interior?

    • Japan
    • New Zealand
    • Central UK
    • Iceland

  18. What state of matter is the Earth's outer core?

    • Superheated gas
    • Semi-solid magma
    • Liquid metal
    • Solid rock

  19. What primary heat source drives convection currents in the mantle?

    • Atmospheric pressure
    • Earth's core
    • Solar radiation
    • Ocean tides

  20. Why do global earthquake distribution maps closely match tectonic plate boundary maps?

    • Magma cools instantly
    • Stresses concentrate there
    • Rock is always softer
    • Gravity is strongest

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