Plate Tectonics Vocab

Question 1

Plate Tectonics

Answer 1

the theory that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere

Question 2

Lithosphere

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Asthenosphere

Answer 3

the soft layer of the mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move. Tectonic plates, parts of the lithosphere “float” or move on this layer

Question 4

Mesosphere

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Outer Core

Answer 5

the liquid layer of the Earth’s core that lies beneath the mantle and surrounds the inner core

Question 6

Inner Core

Answer 6

a dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of the Earth

Question 7

Mantle

Answer 7

the thick layer of rock between Earth’s crust and core

Question 8

Mid-Ocean Ridge

Answer 8

an underwater mountain chain where new ocean floor is formed

Question 9

Subsidence

Answer 9

the sinking of regions of Earth’s crust to lower elevations

Question 10

Uplift

Answer 10

a rise of land to a higher elevation (as in the process of mountain building)

Question 11

Stress

Answer 11

a force that acts on rock to change its shape or volume

Question 12

Ring of Fire

Answer 12

area around the Pacific Ocean known for frequent earthquakes and volcanoes

Question 13

Hot Spot

Answer 13

volcanoes far from tectonic plate boundaries

Question 14

Sea-Floor Spreading

Answer 14

when two oceanic plates pull apart, magma rises and new crust is formed

Question 15

Rift Zone

Answer 15

an area of deep cracks that forms between two tectonic plates that are pulling away from each other

Question 16

Oceanic Crust

Answer 16

Earth’s crust located under the ocean that is usually thinner but more dense than continental crust

Question 17

Continental Crust

Answer 17

part of Earth’s crust that contains all continents and major islands, it is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust

Question 18

Fault

Answer 18

a break or crack in Earth’s crust where masses of rock slip past each other

Question 19

Boundary

Answer 19

an area where 2 tectonic plates meet

Question 20

Layers of the Earth

Answer 20

lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, and inner core

Question 21

Tectonic Plates

Answer 21

pieces of the lithosphere that move around on top of the asthenosphere. They can be made up of continental crust, oceanic crust, or a combination of both types of crust

Question 22

Convection

Answer 22

hot rock deep within the Earth rises at a boundary that has less pressure, cools toward the surface, and sinks

Question 23

Strike-Skip Fault

Answer 23

a fault in which the two fault blocks move past each other horizontally

Question 24

Convergent Boundary

Answer 24

a plate boundary where 2 plates move toward each other. Can cause the formation of mountains

Question 25

Transform Boundary

Answer 25

the boundary between tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally- can cause earthquakes

Question 26

Tension

Answer 26

stress that stretches rock so that it becomes thinner in the middle

Question 27

Compression

Answer 27

stress that squeezes rock until it folds or breaks

Question 28

Volcano

Answer 28

a mountain that forms when magma reaches the surface. Form along plate boundaries that move apart or collide

Question 29

Earthquake

Answer 29

the shaking that results from the movement of rock beneath the Earth’s surface. Happen at the edges of tectonic plates or faults

Question 30

Continental Drift

Answer 30

the theory that continents can drift apart from one another and have done so in the past

Question 31

Divergent Boundary

Answer 31

a plate boundary where two plates move away from each other

Question 32

Pangaea

Answer 32

single large landmass made up of all the continents connected together that broke apart 200 million years ago

Question 33

Crust

Answer 33

the thin and solid outermost layer of earth above the mantle