Plate Tectonics Flashcards

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1
Q

The hypothesis that states that the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations

A

Continental Drift

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2
Q

A long undersea mountain chain that has a steep, narrow valley at its center, that forms as magma rises from the asthenosphere and that creates new oceanic lithosphere (sea floor) as tectonic plates move apart.

A

Mid-ocean ridge

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3
Q

The process by which new oceanic lithosphere (sea floor) forms as magma rises to Earth’s surface & solidifies as a mid ocean ridge

A

Sea floor spreading

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4
Q

The study of the alignment of magnetic minerals in rock, specifically as it relates to the reversal of Earth’s magnetic poles; also the magnetic properties that rock acquires during formation.

A

Paleomagnetism

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5
Q

the discontinuity between the crust and the mantle of the earth, occurring at depths that average about 22 miles beneath the continents and about 6 miles beneath the ocean floor.

A

Moho

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6
Q

Submerged volcanic mountains that are taller than 1 kllometer

A

Seamount

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7
Q

The solid outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle.

A

Lithosphere

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8
Q

The boundary between 2 tectonic plates that are moving away from each other

A

Divergent boundary

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9
Q

The boundary between 2 tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally

A

Transform boundary

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10
Q

The layer of rock between Earth’s crust and core

A

Mantle

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11
Q

A raised wedge at the base of the continental slope

A

Continental Rise

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12
Q

Deep V shaped valleys in the continental shelf and continental slope

A

Submarine canyon

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13
Q

The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it.

A

Asthenosphere

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14
Q

The boundary between tectonic plates that are colliding

A

Convergent boundary

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15
Q

A narrow valley along the center of a mid ocean ridge.

A

Rift (valley)

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16
Q

The theory that explains how large pieces of the lithosphere, called plates, move.

A

Plate tectonics

17
Q

The part of a continent covered by water

A

Continental shelf

18
Q

A long narrow and steep depression that forms on the ocean floor as a result of subduction of a tectonic plate; runs along a chain of volcanic islands

A

Trench

19
Q

A solid sphere in the middle of the fluid core such as the iron-nickel core of the Earth.

A

Inner core

20
Q

A fluid layer about 2,300 km (1,400 mi) thick and composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle.

A

Outer core

21
Q

The thin and solid most outer layer of the Earth, above the mantle.

A

Crust

22
Q

The super continent that formed 300 million years ago and started to break up 250 million years ago.

A

Pangaea

23
Q

The slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor

A

Continental slope

24
Q

A large flat, almost level area of the deep ocean basin

A

Abysmal plain