Plate Tectonics word search

Volcanic mountains

Form where Nazca plate subducts under South American plate

Volcanoes

Form where one oceanic plate meets a continental plate

Convection currents

Circulating flow of dense, molten material driving plates

Mid-ocean ridges

Form along divergent boundaries (ex: Atlantic Ocean)

Earthquakes

Patterns of these outline Earth's tectonic plates

Red Sea

Divergent boundary between Africa and Saudi Arabia

Continental-continental convergence

Convergence where both plates are equal density

Collision

When two or more plates collide head-on

Seafloor spreading

Theory explaining how ocean plates behave at divergent boundaries

Subduction

Convergence where denser plate sinks beneath less dense plate

Outer core

Densest liquid layer of Earth composed of metallic material

Tectonic plates

Pieces of continent and ocean that move due to convection

Mantle

The thickest layer of Earth where convection currents flow

Himalayas

Convergent boundary between Asia and India

Volcanic islands

Form along ocean-ocean convergent boundary in North Pacific

Triangulation

Using 3 seismic stations to find an epicenter

Amplitude

Used to help calculate Richter magnitude

Lithosphere

The thinnest layer of Earth that moves due to convection currents

Epicenter

Point at the surface directly above an earthquake

Richter scale

Magnitude of an earthquake based on wave measurements

Elastic rebound

Theory explaining the cause of earthquakes

Seismic waves

They change speed as they move through layers

Focus

Point where elastic rebound occurs

Pangaea

Name of the ancient supercontinent

S-P lag

The interval between P and S wave arrival

Shadow zones

Evidence used to support a metallic core

Transform boundary

When two plates move alongside each other but get stuck

Coastlines

Continents appear to fit together due to matching

San Andreas Fault

Transform boundary along California coast

Fossils

Matching evidence found on different continents

Trenches

Deep chasms forming along convergent boundaries

P-waves

Seismic waves traveling in compression (push-pull)

Mountains

Form where two continental plates converge

Density

Property that determines subduction

Divergent boundary

When two plates pull away from each other

Continental crust

Less dense, very old plate material

Magnetic stripes

Alternating magnetism evidence supporting seafloor spreading

Plate tectonics

Theory explaining continental drift and plate movement

Mercalli scale

Strength of earthquake based on damage observations

Continental drift

Theory that continents were once connected

Hot spot

Area of activity away from plate boundaries

S-waves

Seismic waves moving side-to-side

Surface waves

Slowest seismic waves causing most damage

Oceanic crust

Denser plate material that subducts, younger