Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet.
Mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and core.
Core
Made up of mostly into the outer layer (molten) and inner core (solid)
Tectonic plate
The layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the Earth, including the crust and upper mantle(Lithosphere plates)
Continental Drift Theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to their present position.
Asthemosphere
A thin layer of Earth, about 150 miles THICC, at the border between the mantle and the crust.
Convention Current
The process in which the hotter parts of a gas or liquid rise to the top and cooler, denser part sink.
Convergent Boundary
When two tectonic plates come together.
Mountains
Uplift of crustal plates that form elevated landmasses.
Volcanoes
A vent of fissure in Earth’s surface through which magma and gasses are expelled.
Divergent Boundry
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 produces 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.
