Geology & Ecology Flashcards
What is the lithosphere?
The crust of the earth and the solid part of the mantle
How deep is the continental crust?
30 - 60 Metres
What are the features of divergent plate boundaries?
New crust is being created
Plates are moving away from each other
Formed at the ocean ridges
What are the features of convergent plate boundaries?
Plates are subducted under one and other
Ocean trench and Island arc
Usually form mountain ranges
Usually Volcanoes
Where are the deepest subducted trenches formed?
The deepest trenches are formed where Oceanic plates are subducted
What is the Asthenosphere?
The sluggish magma part of the mantle
What are transform plate boundaries?
Transform plate boundaries are areas where plates slide past each other in opposite directions
What other name are divergent plate boundaries known as?
Constructive plate boundaries (new Lithosphere is being formed)
What is Mafic rock?
Mafic is rock that is rich in magnesium and iron (Ma Fe)
What is Felsic rock?
Igneous rocks rich in elements that form feldspar and quartz.
What is granite?
Intrusive igneous rocks mainly consist of feldspar, quartz, mica, and amphibole minerals
What is Diorite?
a grey to dark-grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar (typically andesine),
What is Gneiss?
formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks
