3
QuizMultiple Choice
Theory of Plate Tectonics
Question 3 • LVA-Earth and Space Science - FALL
Iceland is a unique land mass, as it gives scientists the opportunity to study processes that normally occur at a submerged (underground) divergent plate boundary. The diagram shows that two tectonic plates meet in Iceland: the North American and the Eurasian plates, as shown in the diagram below. As these plates drift away from one another, a rift (like those normally found on the ocean floor) will be created. What chain of events will most likely occur to Iceland in the future?
Answer
A
The rift will widen between the two plates, and new volcanoes will be pushed up from the sea floor to create a volcanic arc running through Iceland.B
As the rift increases in size, new crust will be created on either side of it, which will eventually fill with soil and become a low-lying valley running through Iceland.C
The rift will widen, forming a subduction zone and resulting in an ocean trench and the formation of an island arc that separates the two halves of Iceland.D
The rift will widen between the plates; new crust will form on either side of the rift, water from the ocean will rush in, and eventually Iceland will split apart.