Question

Which of the following statements about the theory of tectonic plates and continental drift is not true?

a.) about 250 million years ago, the continents were merged together into one supercontinent.
b.) tectonic plates can push, pull, slide, or go under one another.
c.) the movement of plates has reduced over time and will eventually cease.
d.) plates have always been in motion and still are in motion.

Answer 1

The statement that the movement of tectonic plates has reduced over time and will eventually cease is incorrect. The incorrect statement about plate tectonics and continental drift is c.) the movement of plates has reduced over time and will eventually cease.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is not true because plate tectonics are driven by movements in the Earth's mantle and these movements have not been observed to be slowing down significantly. As such, there is no scientific consensus that they will eventually stop.

Pangaea, the supercontinent mentioned in statement a.), was indeed a massive landmass that existed about 250 million years ago, before breaking apart due to the movements of tectonic plates. Tectonic plates can interact in various ways as described in statement b.), including pushing against each other (convergent boundaries), pulling apart (divergent boundaries), sliding past one another (transform boundaries), or one plate being forced under another (subduction). The movement of the plates is a continuous process influenced by the heat dynamics within Earth's interior, as stated in statement d.), and they are still in motion today, at rates comparable to the growth of human fingernails.