Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet
Mantle
Layers 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 part of the Earth, including, the crust and upper mantle. ( lithospheric plate)
Continental Drift Theory
The theory that continents gradually drift over time to their present positions.
Asthenosphere
A think 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 gas or liquid rise to the top and the cooler, denser parts sink.
Convergent Boundary
When two tectonics plates come together.
Mountains
Uplift of crustal plates that form elevated landmasses.
Volcanoes
A vent or fissures in Earth’s surface through which magma and gases are expelled.
Divergent Boundary
When tectonics plates split apart.
Transform Boundary
When tectonic plates slide past each other.
Fault
Breaks in the crust. The movement causes seismic waves which produce 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 trench.
