Plate Boundaries Flashcards
The outermost layer of the Earth. It is thin and has 2 types.
Crust
The type of Crust that is thicker and less dense.
Continental Crust
The type of Crust that is thinner and denser
Oceanic Crust
Located beneath the crust, it is composed of semi-solid rocks and moves very slowly.
Mantle
Located beneath the lithosphere, it is a semi-fluid, partially molten layer that allows tectonic plates to move.
Asthenosphere
The rigid outer layer of the Earth, at the uppermost part of the mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates.
Lithosphere
A liquid layer made primarily of iron and nickel. It is responsible for generating the Earth’s magnetic field.
Outer Core
The innermost part of the Earth.
Inner Core
The edges where two tectonic plates meet.
Plate Boundaries
A scientific theory explaining the movement of the Earth’s lithosphere (tectonic plates) on the more fluid asthenosphere beneath it.
Tectonic Plate Theory
When an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental or another oceanic plate, the sinking plate melts in the mantle. Magma rises to the surface, forming volcanoes.
Convergent Boundaries (Subduction Zones
At mid-ocean ridges, plates pull apart, and magma rises to fill the gap, creating underwater volcanoes.
Divergent Boundaries
Some volcanoes form away from plate boundaries due to mantle plumes, creating islands
Hotspots
