earth layers Flashcards
Lithosphere
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
Asthenosphere
the upper layer of the earth’s mantle, below the lithosphere, in which there is relatively low resistance to plastic flow and convection is thought to occur.
Mesosphere
directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere
Inner Core
a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron
Outer Core
composed of liquid iron and nickel
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
Continental Crust
the outermost layer of Earth’s lithosphere that makes up the planet’s continents and continental shelves
Density
substance’s mass per unit of volume
Alfred Wegener
German climatologist, geologist, geophysicist, meteorologist, and polar researcher
Continental Drift
hypothesis that the Earth’s continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other
Convergent Boundary
is an area on Earth where two or more lithospheric plates collide
Divergent Boundary
linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other
Transform Boundary
places where plates slide sideways past each other
Sea-floor Spreading
a geologic process in which tectonic plates—large slabs of Earth’s lithosphere—split apart from each other
