Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Crust
The outermost of a rocky planet.
Mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and core.
Core
Made up of mostly Iron. Seperated into the outer core (molten) and inner core (solid)
Tectonic Plates
The layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the earth.
Continental drift theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to their present position.
Asthenosphere
A thin layer of Earth about 150 miles thick, at the border between the mantle and the crust.
Convection Current
The process in which the hotter parts of a gas or liquid rise to the top and the cooler, denser parts sink.
Convergent Boundary
When the two tectonic plates some together.
Mountains
Uplift of crystal platest hat form elevated landmasses.
Volcanos
A vent or fissure in Earths surface through which magma and gasses are expelled.
Divergent Boundary
When tectonic plates split apart.
Transform Boundary
When tectonic plates slide past each other.
Fault
Breaks in the crust. The movement causes seismic waves which procedures earthquakes.
Mid- Ocean Ridge
A long ridge of underwater volcanoes between two diverging oceanic plates.
Subduction Zone
A place where one tectonic plate sinks under another and melts. Also forms a trench.
