Geology Chapter 1-8: Mid-Oceanic Ridges and Core Concepts Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core geology concepts, including plate boundaries, rock types, density calculations, and fundamental physical principles.

Mid-Oceanic Ridge (MOR)

An ocean-ocean divergent plate boundary where new oceanic lithosphere is created through volcanism, expressed as a elevated underwater ridge.

Basalt

A fine-grained, volcanic igneous rock that forms via the rapid crystallization of liquid rock and makes up the oceanic lithosphere.

Fine-Grained Igneous Rock

An igneous rock composed of small crystals, indicating that the liquid rock cooled rapidly near or at the surface.

Coarse-Grained Igneous Rock

An igneous rock composed of large crystals, indicating that the liquid rock cooled slowly over a long time deep underground.

Hot Spot Volcanism

Volcanic activity that occurs within the interior of a tectonic plate (such as Hawaii), distinguished from boundary volcanism along mid-oceanic ridges.

Super Ball Concept

A foundational temperature concept defining temperature as equal to average molecular velocity ($\text{Temperature} = \text{average molecular velocity}$).

Density

A physical property of matter defined as mass divided by volume ($\text{Density} = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}$).

Cork Concept

A fundamental concept stating that lower-density materials tend to float or rise, whereas higher-density materials tend to sink.

Mid-Oceanic Ridge Elevation Mechanism

Extremely hot rock at the ridge crest expands, becoming low in density and floating high; as the rock spreads away, it cools, increases in density, and sinks.

Figure 2.11

A lecture figure displaying earthquake locations (red dots) aligned with mid-oceanic ridges, providing critical observational evidence for seafloor spreading.