Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Crust
The outer most shell of our planet.
Mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and core of our planet.
Core
Made up of mostly iron, separated into the core (molten) and inner core (solid)
Tectonic Plate
Layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the earth which includes the crust and the outer mantle.
Continental Drift Theory
The theory that continents gradually drift 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 Boudery
When two tectonic plates come together.
Mountains
uplift of crustal plates that form elevated landmasses.
Volcanoes
A vent or fissure in earths surface through which magma and gases expelled
Divergent Boundary
When Tectonic plates split apart.
Transform Boundary
When tectonic plates slide past eachother.
Fault
Breaks in the crust. The movement causes seismic waves which produces earthquakes
Mid-Ocean Ridge
A long ridge of underwater volcanoes between to diverging oceanic plates.
Subduction Zone
A place where one tectonic plate sinks under another and melts. Also forms a trench.
