plate tectonics Flashcards

1
Q

Lithosphere

A

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

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2
Q

Asthenosphere

A

the soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move

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3
Q

Mesosphere

A

the strong, lower part of the the mantle between the asthenosphere and the outer core

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4
Q

Inner Core

A

the Earth’s innermost part and it is primarily a solid ball

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5
Q

Outer Core

A

is a fluid layer composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above

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6
Q

Seismic Waves

A

an elastic wave in the earth produced by an earthquake

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7
Q

Oceanic Crust

A

thin part of the earth’s crust that underlies the ocean basins

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8
Q

Continental Crust

A

thick part of the earth’s crust that forms the large landmasses.

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9
Q

Density

A

the degree of compactness of a substance.

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10
Q

Alfred Wegener

A

German polar researcher, geophysicist and meteorologist

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11
Q

Continental Drift

A

the movement of the Earth’s continents relative to each other

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12
Q

Convergent Boundary

A

When a continental plate collides with an oceanic plate

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13
Q

Divergent Boundary

A

linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates

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14
Q

Transform Boundary

A

places where plates slide sideways past each other

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15
Q

Sea-floor Spreading

A

a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges

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16
Q

Pangaea

A

a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic

17
Q

Laurasia

A

he more northern of two supercontinents that formed part of the Pangaea

18
Q

Gondwana

A

was a supercontinent that formed from the unification of several cratons

19
Q

Mesosaurus

A

an extinct genus of reptile from the Early Permian of southern Africa

20
Q

Glossopteris

A

the largest and best-known genus of the extinct order of seed