Earth Systems Flashcards
what does geology study
study of dynamic processes occuring on the Earths surfaces and in the interior
what is the inner core made of
solid iron and nickel
what is the outer core made of
liquid iron and nickel
what is the lithosphere
the crust and outermost mantle that is brittle and rigid
what is the asthenosphere
zone in the mantle that can be deformed by heat and pressure, includs convection currents that move plates
what are the two types of crust q
continental crust and oceanic crust
which type of crust is more dense
oceanic crust
how many tectonic plates are there
12
what are some things the movement of tectonic plates can create
mountains on land, trenches in the ocean
what are divergent plates
oceanic plates that move apart from one another and molten rock
what are some things divergent plates can form
rift valleys and oceaning ridges
what are convergent plates
when an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate
what is subduction
when the continental plate goes over the oceanic, causing the oceanic to go under the continental
what is a trench
area that forms at the boundary between two convergent plates
what happens when two continental plates collide
mountain ranges form
