tectonic rock Flashcards
Crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet
Mantle
Layer of molten rock between the crust and core
Core
Made up of mostly Iron. outer core (molten) and inner core (solid)
Tectonic Plate
The layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the earth, including the crust and upper mantle (lithospheric plates)
Continental Drift Theory
The theory that continents gradually drifted over time to their present positions
Asthenosphere
A thin layer of earth, about 150 miles thick, at the border between the mantle and the crust.
Convection current
The process in which the hotter parts of a gad or liquid rise to the topp and the cooler, denser parts sink.
Convergant Boundry
When two tectonic plates come together
Mountains
Uplift of crustal plates the form elevated landmasses
Volcanoes
A vent or fissure in Earths surface through which magma and gases are expelled.
Divergent Boundary
When tectonic plates split apart
Transform boundary
When tectonic plates slide past each other.
Fault
Breaks in the crust. The movement cause 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