Plate Tectonics Flashcards
Scientific Theory
A well-tested concept that explains a wide range of observations
Plate
A section of the lithosphere that slowly moves over the asthenosphere, carrying pieces of continental and oceanic crust
Plate Tectonics
The theory that pieces of Earth’s lithosphere are in constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle
Fault
A break in Earth’s crust where masses of rock slip past each other
Divergent Boundary
A plate boundary where two plates move away from each other
Rift Valley
A deep valley that forms where two plates move apart
Convergent Boundary
A plate boundary where two plates move toward each other
Transform Boundary
A plate boundary where two plates move past each other in opposite directions