Plate Tectonics Flashcards
(16 cards)
Crust
The outermost shell of a rocky planet.
Mantle
Layer if molten rock between the crust and core
Core
Made up of mostly iron. Separated into the outer core (molten) and the inner core (solid).
Tectonic plates
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 position.
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 hotter parts of a gas or liquid rise to the top and the cool, dense parts sink.
Convergent boundary
When two tectonic plates come together.
Mountains
Uplift of crustal plates that form elevated landmasses
When the rock get pushed up it makes mountains.
Volcanoes
A vent or fissure in Earth’s surface through which magma and gases are expelled
Divergent boundary
When tectonic plates separate
Transform boundary
When tectonic plates slide past each other
Fault
A break in the crust that produces seismic waves which produces earthquakes
Mid-Ocean ridge
A long ridge of underwater volcanoes between two divergent oceanic plates
Subduction zone
A place where one tectonic plate sinks underwater and melts. Also forms a trench.
Rift Valley
A narrow valley between two divergent continental plates
