Plate Tectonics Flashcards
(7 cards)
What are tectonic plates?
Massive rigid slabs of solid rock made up of earth’slithosphere (crust and upper mantle)
Theory of Plate Tectonics?
A scientific model that describes the movement andbehaviour of the Earth’s lithosphere, or outermost layer
How do tectonic plates move?
They move slowly over the underlying asthenosphere (the partially molten and ductile layerof the Earth’s mantle)
Convection Currents (theory)?
As the magma in the mantle heats up it will rise towards the crust. As it loses heat and cools down it will then sink towards the core where it will eventually heat again, forming a convection current
What is a divergent boundary and what does it form?
Constructive boundary where plates move away from each other. Mid - ocean ridges, fault lines, and new oceanic crust.
What is a convergent boundary and what does it form?
What is a transform boundary and what does it form?