science vocab terms

Question 1

the relatively thin part of the earth’s crust which underlies the ocean basins. It is geologically young compared with the continental crust and consists of basaltic rock overlain by sediments.

Answer 1

oceanic crust

Question 2

the relatively thick part of the earth’s crust that forms the large landmasses. It is generally older and more complex than the oceanic crust.

Answer 2

continental crust

Question 3

is the section of the Earth’s interior that begins below the crust and ends above the transition zone. This boundary starts directly beneath the oceanic and continental crust.

Answer 3

upper mantle

Question 4

known for his theory of continental drift, he was a meteorologist, geophysicist, and polar researcher.

Answer 4

Alfred Wegner

Question 5

a supercontinent that included almost all landmasses on Earth. It broke up because of the convection currents that rolled over in the upper mantle causing plates to slowly move across Earth’s surface

Answer 5

Pangea

Question 6

the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and much of the earth’s seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates.

Answer 6

plate techtonics

Question 7

plates that move AWAY from each other causing mid ocean ridge

Answer 7

divergent

Question 8

plates that move together causing mountains, volcanoes, or subduction zones from large trenches, and sometimes earthquakes

Answer 8

convergent

Question 9

plates that slide past each other, when stuck it can cause Eathquakes

Answer 9

Transform

Question 10

a large plume of hot mantle material rising from deep within the Earth

Answer 10

hot spot

Question 11

process by which heat is transferred by movement of a heated fluid such as air or water.

Answer 11

convection currents

Question 12

the formation of new areas of oceanic crust, which occurs through the upwelling of magma at midocean ridges and its subsequent outward movement on either side.

Answer 12

seafloor spreading

Question 13

a lowland region that forms where Earth’s tectonic plates move apart, or rift. they are created by the process of seafloor spreading.

Answer 13

rift valley

Question 14

the gradual movement of the continents across the earth’s surface through geological time.

Answer 14

continental drift

Question 15

the upper layer of the earth’s mantle, below the lithosphere, in which there is relatively low resistance to plastic flow and convection is thought to occur.

Answer 15

asthenosphere

Question 16

the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

Answer 16

lithosphere

Question 17

the place where two lithospheric plates come together, one riding over the other.

Answer 17

subduction zones

Question 18

a long narrow ditch

Answer 18

trench

Question 19

any of several continuous submarine mountain chains rising from the ocean floor.

Answer 19

oceanic ridge

Question 20

It plays a crucial role in outer core liquid motions and the geodynamo, which generates the Earth’s magnetic field. It is solid.

Answer 20

inner core

Question 21

creates the electrical currents that drive the magnetic field. It is liquid

Answer 21

outer core

Question 22

volcanoes erupted on the seafloor whose tops have emerged above sea level.

Answer 22

volcanic island

Question 23

provides the thermal and mechanical driving forces for plate tectonics.

Answer 23

mantle

Question 24

it is called asthenosphere, “astheno” is a Greek word meaning ‘weak’. It is called weak layer because it is in liquid state where rock material deforms more readily, and magma formation takes place.

Answer 24

upper mantle

Question 25

the region 400 to 1,800 miles below the Earth’s surface, made of solid rock. The lower mantle lies beneath the upper mantle and surrounds the outer core.

Answer 25

lower mantle

Question 26

gigantic pieces of the Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle.

Answer 26

plate

Question 27

a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron

Answer 27

inner core

Question 28

is a fluid layer about 2,260 km (1,400 mi) thick, composed of mostly iron and nickel that lies above Earth’s solid inner core and below its mantle.

Answer 28

outer core