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Original Project
    Plate Tectonics
            When two plates are pulling apart, melted rock material rises up between the plates, creating new plate material…

Item PT032001: As two plates move apart new plate material forms between them.

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Each of the diagrams below show a plate boundary where two of the earth’s plates are continuously pulling apart. Which of the following happens over time?

  1. As the plates pull apart, an empty space forms between them that gets wider over time.
  2. As the plates pull apart, water immediately fills the empty space between them.
  3. As the plates pull apart, loose rock material immediately fills the empty space between them.
  4. As the plates pull apart, new plate material immediately forms between them, so there is no empty space.

 

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice
Overall
Grades
Gender
Primary Language
 
n = 3154		 6–8
n = 2030		 9–12
n = 1111		 Male
n = 1502		 Female
n = 1610		 English
n = 2871		 Other
n = 217
A.
As the plates pull apart, an empty space forms between them that gets wider over time.
22% 23% 21% 23% 22% 22% 29%
B.
As the plates pull apart, water immediately fills the empty space between them.
22% 22% 24% 22% 23% 22% 23%
C.
As the plates pull apart, loose rock material immediately fills the empty space between them.
27% 28% 25% 26% 28% 28% 23%
D.
As the plates pull apart, new plate material immediately forms between them, so there is no empty space.
28% 27% 30% 29% 27% 28% 25%