Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Let's evaluate each statement in turn and tease out why it is or isn’t correct.
Option 1: 'Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.' This aligns with geophysical understanding: as you go deeper into Earth, gravitational compression leads to higher temperatures and higher pressures, so this statement is correct.
Option 2: 'One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.' Radioactive decay of isotopes such as uranium, thorium, and potassium Release heat within the mantle and crust, contributing to Earth's internal heat. This statement is correct.
Option 3: 'Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.' This mixes up the sources of plate tectonics. The outer core is liquid iron and is the site of convection that generates Earth's magnetic field, but plate tectonics—movement of rigid lithospheric plates over the mantle—is driven primarily by mantle convection within the asthenosphere, slab pull, and ridge push. Convection in the outer core is not the primary driver of plate tectonics, so this statement is not correct.
Putting these together, the first two statements are accurate descriptions of internal Earth processes, while the third statement misattributes the mechanism behind plate tectonics to outer-core convection rather than mantle convection and plate dynamics.
In summary, option-by-option outcomes:
- Statement 1: correct, matches pressure-temperature gradient with depth.
- Statement 2: correct, radioactive decay supplies substantial internal heat.
- Statement 3: incorrect, attributing plate tectonics to outer-core convection oversimplifies and misidentifies the primary driving processes.
This analysis shows why the third option is not correct in the context of Earth science.

Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

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Question at position 37 Which one statement below is not correct?Temperature and pressure both increase with increasing depth.One source of Earth’s internal heat is the decay of radioactive elements.Convection in the outer core is responsible for plate tectonics.Clear my selection

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

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Match the geologic province of California with its corresponding tectonic setting. 1: Sierran Batholith 2: Central Valley 3: Franciscan 4: Accreted terranes

Question at position 24 Which of the following DOES NOT provide evidence that continents move by plate tectonicsVolcanic hot spot tracksGPS measurements of plate motionSymmetric magnetic stripes on each side of mid ocean ridgesUsing seismic waves to determine that the Earth's outer core is liquid

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