tectonic plates Flashcards
crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet.
mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and the core.
core
made up of mostly iron. Seperated into the outer core (molten) and inner core (solid)
tectonic plate
the layer of the rock that makes up the outer part of the earth, including the crust and upper mantle (lithospheric tonic plat)
continental drift theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to their present options
asthenosphere
A thin layer of earth, about 150 miles thick, at the border of the mantle and the crust.
convection currents
the process in which the hotter parts of a of a gas or liquid rise to the top of the cooler, denser parts sink.
convergent boundry
when two tectonic plates come together.
mountains
uplift of crustal plates the form elevated landmasses
volcanoes
A vent or fissure i earths surface through which magma and gases are expelled.
divergent boundry
When tectonic plates split apart.
transform boundary
when tectonic plats slide past each other.
fault
Breaks in the crust. The movement causes seismic waves which produces earthquakes.
mid-ocean ridge
A long ridge of underwater volcanoes between two diverging oceanic plates.
subduction zone
A place where one tectonic plate sinks under another and melts. Also forms a trench.
