Science boundrys and creations

lithosphere

the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle

Seamount

old eroded volcanoes that are found beneath the ocean surface

Continental crust

thicker, older, and less dense

Sea floor spreading

process where new ocean crust is formed due to the upwelling of magma at mid ocean ridges

Subduction

Process that occurs when denser tectonic plates sinks below a less dense plate, the plate melts and the material can be recycled.

Tectonic plate

A piece of the lithosphere that moves over the asthenosphere

Asthenosphere

a soft, flexible layer responsible for the direction of plate motion

hot spot

an intensely hot zone in the mantle bellow Earth's crust which causes the mantle in that region to melt

oceanic crust

crust that is thinner, newer and more dense

Why didn't the scientific community orignally accept Wegener's Theory of Continental drift ?

Because there was no way to explain how the plates moved

What layer does earths thermal energy come from?

core

Earths magnetic feild is made of what?

Iorn and Nickle (that come from the core)

Convergent: Oceanic- Oceanic crust creates…?

trenches, island arcs ( subduction can occur)

Convergent: Continental- Continental crust creates…?

mountain ranges ( no subduction can occur)

Convergent: Continental- Oceanic crust creates..?

trenches, Volcanic arc (subduction possible)

Divergent: Oceanic- Oceanic creates..?

Mid- ocean ridges (no subduction)

Divergent: Continental- Continental creates…?

Rift valley ( no subduction)

True or false? Eventually the African Rift Valley will fill with water and create a new tectonic plate

True

3 things hot spots and seamounts tell us about plate tectonics

Rate of plate movement

direction of plate movement

how long a spot has been active

Convergent: Oceanic- Oceanic Earthquake distribution

Spread beyond boundary, shallow/deep, often

Convergent: Continental- Continental Earthquake distribution

Spread Beyond boundary, shallow, often

Convergent: Oceanic- Continental Earthquake distribution

Spread Beyond boundary, shallow or deep, often

Divergent : Oceanic- Oceanic Earthquake distribution

along boundary, shallow, not often

Divergent : Continental- Continental Earthquake distribution

spread beyond boundary, shallow, not often