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 Iron. Separated into the outer core (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 (lithospheric plates)
Asthenosphere
A thin layer of Earth, about 150 miles thick, at the border between the mantle and the crust
Continental Drift theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to present their present positions
Convection Current
The process in which the hotter parts of a gas or liquid rise to the top and cooler, denser parts sink
Convergent Boundary
When two tectonic plates come together
Mountains
Uplist of crustal plates that elevated land mass
Volcanoes
A vent or fissure in Earth’s surface through which magma and gases 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 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