Week 4 Quiz: Early Earth and Plate Tectonics

Asthenosphere

Layer beneath lithosphere, more plastic and ductile.

Lithosphere

Rigid outer layer of Earth, includes crust.

Sediment Thickness

Thickest near mid-ocean ridges, not true.

Earthquake Focus

Depth increases at subduction zones.

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Regions where tectonic plates collide.

Transform Faults

Boundaries where plates slide past each other.

Killer Waves

Large waves caused by underwater disturbances.

Tsunami

Wave generated by underwater earthquakes or landslides.

Curie Point

Temperature where magnetic minerals lock-in magnetism.

Magnetic Stripes

Record Earth's magnetic field changes over time.

Island Arcs

Volcanic islands formed at subduction zones.

Mid Ocean Ridge

Underwater mountain range at divergent boundaries.

Outer Planets

Gaseous planets, further from the Sun.

Inner Planets

Rocky planets, closer to the Sun.

Subduction Zones

Where one plate moves under another.

Hot Spots

Volcanic regions fed by underlying mantle.

Oceanic Trenches

Deep underwater valleys at subduction zones.

Radioactive Decay

Process contributing to Earth's internal heat.

Earth's Magnetic Field

Protects Earth, retains atmosphere and water.

Alfred Wegener

Proposed Continental Drift, lacked mechanism.

Sedimentary Rocks

Formed from sediment accumulation over time.

Plate Boundaries

Regions where tectonic plates interact.

Spreading Centers

Locations where tectonic plates diverge.

Oldest Ocean Rocks

Approximately 170 million years old.

Wave Behavior

Tsunamis increase height and decrease wavelength offshore.

Solar Winds

Stream of charged particles from the Sun.