Question

A plate moving at a rate of 3 cm/year is moving toward a plate that is 1,500 km away. In how many years will the plates collide?

A)50,000,000 years
B)50,000 years
C)5,000 years
D)500 years

Answer 1

Distance = 1,500 km = 1,500 × 100,000 cm = 150,000,000 cm.
Time = distance / rate = 150,000,000 cm / 3 cm/year = 50,000,000 years.

Answer: A) 50,000,000 years.