Question

Which of the following movements give rise to continents?
A.Orogenic movements
B.Epeirogenic movements
C.Rapid movements
D.Mass movements

Answer 1

Hint: Plate tectonics is a theory proposing that all large scale motions and geological activities on earth are caused by the tectonic plates that exist in the earth’s lithosphere. The continental drift theory, proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, posits that all the continents were originally one single continental mass or supercontinent called Pangea which was surrounded by a mega ocean called Panthalassa. This supercontinent broke up about 200 million years ago to form two giant continents, Gondwanaland and Laurasia forming the southern and northern modules respectively. Later, Gondwanaland and Laurasia continued to break into several smaller continents that exist today.

Complete answer: Option A is incorrect. An orogenic movement leads to the upliftment of continental plates and the formation of mountain ranges. It takes place due to the convergence of tectonic plates in the earth’s crust.
Option B: is correct. Unlike orogeny which is the horizontal movement of the tectonic plates to compress and form mountains, epeirogeny is the vertical movement of a continent by faulting or isostasy. The broad central parts of continents called cartoons are formed due to epeirogenic movements.
Options C and D: are incorrect.

Hence, The correct answer is Option C.

Note: There are seven major tectonic plates located in the region after which they are named— the African Plate, the Antarctic Plate, the Eurasian Plate, the Indo-Australian Plate, the North American Plate, the Pacific Plate and the South American Plate. The movement of the plates creates three types of tectonic boundaries—convergent, where plates move into one another; divergent, where plates move apart; and transform, where plates move sideways in relation to each other.