plate techtonics Flashcards
Lithosphere
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle
Asthenosphere
mechanically weak and ductile region of the upper mantle of Earth
Mesosphere
directly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere
Inner Core
solid metallic ball made mainly of iron
Outer Core
third layer of the Earth. It is the only liquid layer
Seismic Waves
elastic wave in the earth produced by an earthquake or other means
Oceanic Crust
relatively thin part of the earth’s crust which underlies the ocean basins
Continental Crust
layer of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks that forms the geological continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores, known as continental shelves.
Alfred Wegener
German climatologist, geologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and polar researcher.
Density
substance’s mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ
Continental drift
the hypothesis that the Earth’s continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other
Convergent Boundary
area on Earth where two or more lithospheric plates collide
Divergent Boundary
linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other
Transform Boundary
fault zone where two plates slide past each other horizontally
Sea-floor Spreading
geologic process in which tectonic plates split apart from each other
