Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet.
Mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and core.
Core
Made 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)
Continental Drift Theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to their present positions.
Asthenosphere
A thin layer of Earth, about 150 miles thick, at the border between the mantle and the crust.
Convection Currents
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 two tectonic plates come together.
Mountain
Uplift of crustal plates that form elevated landmass.
Volcanos
A vent or fissure in Earth’s surface through which magma and gasses are expelled.
Divergent Boundary
When tectonic plates split apart.
Transform Boundaries
when tectonic plates slide past each other.
Fault
Breaks the crust. The moment 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 a trench.
