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Science - Layers Of Earth & Tectonics > Vocab Layers Of Earth > Flashcards

Vocab Layers Of Earth Flashcards

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0
Q

Alfred wegener

A

The scientist that proposed the theory of the continental drift. He was not taken seriously because he couldn’t prove how plates move

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1
Q

Aftershock

A

A smaller earthquake following a more powerful one

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2
Q

Asthenosphere

A

A layer of hotter, softer rock in the upper/middle mantle

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3
Q

Continental crust

A

A section of the earth that contains at least one continent, thicker and lighter than oceanic crust

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4
Q

Continental drift

A

Earths continents were once joined in a single landmass and gradually moved apart

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5
Q

Continental-continental collision

A

Occurs where two plates carrying continental crust push together

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6
Q

Convection

A

Energy transfer by the movement of a material

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7
Q

Convection currents

A

The movements within the mantle, the core heats the mantle making material rise, when it reaches the top it cools down & sinks again

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8
Q

Convergent boundary

A

Occurs where tectonic plates push together

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9
Q

Crust

A

The earths thinnest layer, solid rock, mostly oxygen and silicon

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10
Q

Divergent boundary

A

Occurs where tectonic plates move apart

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11
Q

Earthquake

A

Shaking of the ground caused by sudden movement of large blocks of rocks along a fault

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12
Q

Epicenter

A

The point on the surface right above the focus

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13
Q

Fault

A

A break or fracture in the lithosphere

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14
Q

Fault-block mountain

A

A mountain that forms because blocks of rock move up or down along normal faults

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15
Q

Focus

A

The point underground where rocks first begin to move during an earthquake

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16
Q

Folded mountain

A

A mountain that forms as continental crust crumples and bends into folds

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17
Q

Harry Hess

A

His theory of plate tectonics helped to explain continental drift

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18
Q

Hot spot

A

An area of volcanic activity that develops above a plume in the mantle

19
Q

Inner core

A

A ball of hot, solid metals, mostly iron and nickel

20
Q

Lava

A

Molten rock that reaches earths surface

21
Q

Liquefaction

A

When shaking causes soil to act like liquid

22
Q

Lithosphere

A

Earths crust and the very top layer of the mantle together

23
Q

Magma

A

Molten rock that has not reached earths surface, it is still underground

24
Q

Magnetic reversal

A

When the earths magnetic north & south poles switch places

25
Q

Mantle

A

The earths thickest layer, made of hot molten rock, has plasticity

26
Q

Mid-ocean ridge

A

Huge underwater mountain ranges marking where the sea floor is spreading apart

27
Q

Moment magnitude scale

A

Used by seismologists to compare the size of earthquakes, the Richter scale is not as accurate

28
Q

Oceanic crust

A

A section of the earth that is under the ocean, thinner and more dense and heavy than continental crust

29
Q

Oceanic-continental subduction

A

Occurs when ocean crust sinks under continental crust

30
Q

Oceanic- oceanic subduction

A

Occurs when one plate with oceanic crust sinks under another plate with oceanic crust

31
Q

Outer core

A

A layer of liquid metals, mostly iron & nickle

32
Q

Pangaea

A

The earths once- existent supercontinent which eventually broke apart

33
Q

Plasticity

A

The ability of a solid to move like a liquid - able to be molded

34
Q

Pryoclastic flow

A

A dense cloud of very hot gases and rock fragments that move downhill at high speed

35
Q

Richter scale

A

Assigns a magnitude number to quantify the energy released by an earthquake

36
Q

Rift Valley

A

A gap formed between two diverging plates

37
Q

Seismic wave

A

Vibrations caused by earthquakes

38
Q

Seismograph

A

An instrument that continuously records ground movements

39
Q

Stress

A

Force when an object pushes, pulls or presses on another object

40
Q

Subduction

A

Occurs when one tectonic plate sinks beneath another

41
Q

Tectonic plates

A

Many large and small slabs of rock that our lithosphere is broken into, they fit together like a puzzle

42
Q

The theory of plate tectonics

A

The earths lithosphere is made up of huge plates that move over the surface of the earth, floating on the asthenosphere, as plates move they affect the other plates nearby

43
Q

Transform boundary

A

Occurs where tectonic plates scrape past each other

44
Q

Tsunami

A

A water wave triggered by an earthquake, volcanic eruption or a landslide

45
Q

Volcano

A

An opening in the earths crust through which molten rock, rock fragments, and hot gases erupt

Science - Layers Of Earth & Tectonics (1 decks)

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