Unit 2- Physical Geography Flashcards
Core
The centre or intermost portion of the earth. Below the mantle. Has iron and nickel.
Mantle/Aesthenospehere
Above the core and below the crust
Crust/lithosphere
The outside of the crust. Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock.
Continental drift
Continents are in constant motion and move across the earth.
Pangaea
All continents were connected then broke apart.
Plate tectonics
The earth is split into 20 tectonic plates. Crust movement powered by convection currents.
Convection currents
- Core heats magma of the mantle
- Hot liquid rock (magma) rises to balance out heat distribution
- Cool rock is pushed/pulled away by incoming hot rock
- Crust is pushed/pulled by the asthenosphere
Faulting
When movement or displacement in a rock. Fault lines are at major boundaries of tectonic plates.
Subduction
The collision of 2 plates that result in one plate being pushed under the other
Compression/convergent
Collision of 2 tectonic plates that results in rock material being pushed to create folded mountains
Transform
Plates sliding against each other
Igneous rock
Created when magma cools. Are found in highlands. Ex. Basalt
Sedimentary rock
Is made when sediments have been compacted and cemented. Found in highlands. Ex. Limestone
Metamorphic rock
Created when sedimentary and igneous rock have been applied with heat and pressure. Found in cdn. Shield. Ex. Marble
Weathering
The breaking down of rocks on the surface of the earth. Erosion will transport the prices of rock away
