Earth's Interior and Continental Drift

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Earth's interior, seismic waves, and the theory of continental drift based on Alfred Wegener's research.

Seismic Waves

Waves of energy caused by the sudden breaking of rock within the Earth or an explosion that travel through the Earth's interior.

Crust

The outermost layer of the Earth, composed of solid rock.

Mantle

The layer of the Earth between the crust and the core, divided into the lithosphere and asthenosphere.

Core

The innermost layer of the Earth, composed primarily of iron and nickel.

Pangaea

The ancient supercontinent that once included all landmasses on Earth.

Panthalassa

The vast ocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea.

Continental Drift

The theory that Earth's continents were once joined and have since drifted apart.

Wegener's Evidence

The geological, fossil, and climatic evidence that supports the theory of continental drift proposed by Alfred Wegener.

Glossopteris

An extinct genus of seed ferns whose fossils support the idea of continental drift due to their widespread distribution.

Fossil Distribution

Identical fossils found on continents that are now separated by oceans, indicating they were once connected.

Glacial Deposits

Evidence of past glacial activity found in various current tropical regions, suggesting these areas were once much colder.