Definitions section 1.2 Flashcards
What is Pangaea?
A hypothetical supercontinent that included all the landmasses on Earth.
Extra info:
It began breaking about 200,000,000 years ago.
What is continental drift?
The hypothesis that Earth’s continents move on its surface
What is mid-ocean ridge?
A long line of sea floor mountains where new oceanic crust is formed by volcanic activity along a divergent boundary.
What is convection?
The transfer of energy from place to place by motion of heated gas or liquid
Extra info:
In Earth’s mantle, convection is thought to transfer energy by the motion of solid rock, which under great heat and pressure can move like liquid
What is a convection current?
A circular pattern in which material is heated and rises in one area, than cools and sinks in another area, flowing in a continuous loop
What is the theory of tectonic plates?
A theory stating that Earth’s lithosphere is broken into huge plates that move over time
