Tectonic plates Flashcards
Lithosphere
the solid,outer layer of the earth that sonsits of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle
Asthenosphere
the soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move
Mesosphere
the strong, lower part of the mantle between the asthenosphere and the outer core
Inner Core
a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron
Outer Core
liquid, iron-nickel layer of the Earth between the solid inner core and lower mantle
Seismic Waves
an elastic wave in the earth produced by an earthquake or other means.
Oceanic Crust
the outermost layer of Earth’s lithosphere that is found under the oceans and formed at spreading centres on oceanic ridges, which occur at divergent plate boundaries.
Continental Crust
the outermost layer of Earth’s lithosphere that makes up the planet’s continents and continental shelves
Density
the degree of compactness of a substance.
Alfred Wegener
Alfred Lothar Wegener was a German climatologist, geologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and polar researcher.
Continental Drift
the hypothesis that staes that the continent once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations
Convergent Boundary
the boundary formed by the collison of two lithosphere plates
Divergent Boundary
the boundary between two techtonics plates that are moving away from each other
Transform Boundary
the boundary between tectonics plates that are sliding past each other horizontally
Sea-floor Spreading
the process by which new oceanic lithospere forms as magma rises toward the surface and solidifies
