2.1 Tectonic Processes Flashcards
Estuary
A partially enclosed, tidal, coastal body of water where fresh water from a river meets the saltwater of the ocean
Littoral Zone
The benthic, or bottom, zone between the highest and lowest spring tide water marks on a shoreline; also referred to as the intertidal zone
Earthquakes
A sudden release of energy inside the Earth that creates seismic waves; usually caused by movement of tectonic plates or volcanic activity
Crust
The outermost layer of rock on Earth
Mantle
A region of molten rock within the interior of the Earth, between the core and the crust
Core
The dense, central region within Earth
Seismic
Having to do with vibrations of the earth’s crust; earthquakes
Oceanic Crust
The dense, basaltic layer of crust that makes up the bottom of the ocean basins
Continental Crust
The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the foundation of the continents
Continental Drift
A theory supporting the possibility that continents are able to move over Earth’s surface
Plate Tectonics
The process where large sections (plates) of the Earth’s crust are in constant movement over the fluid mantle, causing earthquakes and volcanoes at the borders between the plates
Lithosphere
The outermost layer of the Earth’s crust
Mid-ocean Ridge
A mountain range with a central valley on an ocean floor at the boundary between two diverging tectonic plates, where new crust forms from upwelling magma
Paleomagnetic Stripes
The pattern of magnetic stripes on the ocean floor due to reversals in the Earth’s magnetic field and seafloor spreading
Polarity
Having two opposite states of being on either end (such as North and South pole, or the positive and negative end of a magnet)
Divergent Boundary
Where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other
Convection Current
The movement of fluids or air based on density differences caused by differing temperature
Convergent Boundary
When two or more tectonic plates come together
Subduction
The process where one lithospheric plate slides below another at a convergent plate boundary
Trench
A long, narrow and deep depression on the ocean floor with relatively steep sides; caused by convergent plate boundaries
Volcano
A mountain or hill with a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapour and gas are being forced from the Earth’s crust
Tsunami
A seismic sea wave created by an underwater earthquake or volcanic event; not noticeable in the open ocean but building to greater heights in shallow water
Hydrothermal Vent
An area where cold ocean water that has seeped into the Earth’s crust is superheated by underlying magma and forced through vents in the ocean floor
Transform Boundary
When two plates are moving in an antiparallel directions, creating friction between them
Abyssal Plain
A flat, sandy region of the ocean floor found between trenches and the continental rise
