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Item PT040002: Mountains form when plate material slowly bends over time.

When two plates press together and a mountain begins to form, which of the following happens?

  1. The plate slowly begins to bend, because even though the plate material is hard, it can still be bent and folded over a very long period of time.
  2. The plate material from one plate breaks off into small pieces of rock that are about the size of tennis balls, because plates cannot bend.
  3. The plate material from one plate breaks off into large pieces of rock that are about the size of huge boulders, because plates cannot bend.
  4. The plate material from one plate breaks off into massive blocks of rock that are about the size of large houses, because plates cannot bend.
Distribution of responses
Answer Choice
Overall
Grades
Gender
Primary Language
 
n = 2287
6–8
n = 707
9–12
n = 1568
Male
n = 1112
Female
n = 1132
English
n = 2046
Other
n = 177
A. The plate slowly begins to bend, because even though the plate material is hard, it can still be bent and folded over a very long period of time. 53% 50% 55% 57% 51% 54% 50%
B. The plate material from one plate breaks off into small pieces of rock that are about the size of tennis balls, because plates cannot bend. 13% 14% 13% 12% 14% 13% 15%
C. The plate material from one plate breaks off into large pieces of rock that are about the size of huge boulders, because plates cannot bend. 20% 22% 19% 18% 21% 19% 25%
D. The plate material from one plate breaks off into massive blocks of rock that are about the size of large houses, because plates cannot bend. 14% 14% 13% 13% 14% 14% 11%