Untitled Flashcards Set

Crust

The outermost solid layer of Earth, consisting of two types: continental and oceanic.

Mantle

The layer of Earth located between the crust and the core, characterized by hot, slow-flowing solid rock.

Core

The layer that extends from below the mantle to the center of Earth, primarily composed of iron and some nickel.

Pangea

The name given to the continents when they were joined in a single large landmass about 245 million years ago.

Sea-floor spreading

The process proposed by scientists to explain the age and magnetic patterns of sea-floor rocks.

Theory of plate tectonics

A theory that describes the large-scale movements of Earth’s lithosphere.

Tectonic plates

The pieces into which the lithosphere is divided, moving around on top of the asthenosphere.

Convergent boundary

A boundary that forms where two tectonic plates collide, occurring in three ways based on the types of crust involved.

Divergent boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other, with magma rising to form new lithosphere at mid-ocean ridges.

Transform boundary

A boundary at which two plates move past each other horizontally, often producing earthquakes.

Convection

A movement of material caused by differences in density, where hotter parts of the mantle rise while cooler, denser parts sink.

Wegener

A meteorologist who hypothesized about Continental Drift.