Earth's Interior and Plate Tectonics

A collection of vocabulary flashcards relevant to the concepts of Earth's interior and plate tectonics.

Seismic Wave

A wave of energy that travels through the Earth's layers as a result of an earthquake or other geological activity.

Oceanic Crust

The thinner, denser part of the Earth's crust that forms the ocean floor.

Continental Crust

The thicker, less dense part of the Earth's crust that forms the continents.

Seafloor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away.

P-wave Shadow Zone

The area on the Earth's surface where P-waves are not detected due to their inability to pass through the liquid outer core.

S-wave Shadow Zone

The area on the Earth's surface where S-waves are not detected, indicating the presence of liquid in the outer core.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics and the process of seafloor spreading.

Plate Boundary

The region where two tectonic plates meet, which can lead to geological activities such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Transform Boundary

A type of plate boundary where two plates slide past one another horizontally.

Convection Currents

The movement of fluid caused by differences in temperature and density, leading to geological phenomena such as plate tectonics.