Mod 1 Glossary Flashcards
cThe entire lithosphere of the Earth is broken into numerous segments called what?
Plates
How are the plates moving?
Slowly but continuosly
What are the three types of plate boundaries?
Divergent, Convergent, and Transform fault boundaries
is formed when plates move apart, creating a zone of tension
Divergent boundary
is present when two plates collide
Convergent boundary
characterized by plates that are sliding past each other
Transform fault
gives rise to several geological features and events
Plate tectonics
mountains formed in part by igneous activity associated with subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath a continent
Continental volcanic arc
mountains formed in part by igneous activity associated with subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath a continent
Continental volcanic arc
a boundary in which two plates move toward each other, causing one of the slabs of the lithosphere of subduct beneath an overriding plate
Convergent boundary
is the outer portion of the earth
Crust
the thick part of the Earth’s crust, not located under the ocean
Continental crust
the thin part of the Earth’s crust located under the oceans
Oceanic crust
a region where the crustal plates are moving apart
Divergent boundary
vibration of Earth due to rapid release of energy
Earthquake
a break in a rock mass along which movement has occurred
Fault
a break in a rock mass in which no significant movement has taken place
Fracture
the science that studies Earth
Geology
a concentration of heat in the mantle capable of creating magma
Hotspot
a mass of molten rock formed at depth, including dissolved gases and crystals
Magma
a continuous mass of land with long width and height on the ocean floor
Mid-ocean ridge
rigid sections of the lithosphere that moves as a unit
Plates
suggests that Earth’s crust is made up of plates that interact in various ways, thus producing earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, and other geological features
Plate tectonics theory
the first type of seismic waves to be recorded in a seismic station
Primary (P) waves
a record made by a seismograph
Seismogram
a device used to record earthquake waves
seismograph
an event in which a slab of rock thrusts into the mantle
Subduction
a boundary produced when two plates slide past each other
Transform fault boundary
a depression in the seafloor produced by subduction process
Trench
a chain of volcanoes that develop parallel to a trench
Volcanic island arc
