Untitled Flashcards Set

Earth's Crust

The outermost layer of the Earth, consisting of the continental crust and oceanic crust.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer part of the Earth, composed of the crust and upper mantle.

Oceanic Crust

The relatively thin part of the Earth's crust that underlies the ocean basins, consisting of basaltic rock.

Continental Crust

The relatively thick part of the Earth's crust forming the large landmasses, generally older and more complex than oceanic crust.

Asthenosphere

The upper layer of the Earth's mantle, below the lithosphere, where plastic flow and convection occur.

Density

The amount of matter in a substance compared to its volume.

Heat Distribution

The transfer of heat for distance heating and/or cooling through distribution systems.

Convection Currents

The movement of heat and energy in a fluid or gas caused by differences in temperature and density.

Slab-Pull

The force that occurs when a tectonic plate sinks into the mantle, pulling the rest of the plate behind it.

Ridge-Push

The pushing force that tectonic plates experience as they slide down the raised asthenosphere beneath Mid Ocean Ridges.

Convergent Boundaries

An area where two or more lithospheric plates collide.

Subduction Zone

The process occurring when one tectonic plate moves under another at convergent boundaries due to gravity and density differences.

Continent to Continent

The collision of two continental plates.

Oceanic to Continent

The collision of an oceanic lithosphere plate with a continental lithosphere plate.

Oceanic to Oceanic

A collision between two plates composed of oceanic lithosphere.

Divergent Boundary

Where two tectonic plates move apart, creating a gap that can fill with magma to form new crust.

Continental Divergence

Where two continental plates move away from each other, leading to earthquakes and new oceanic crust formation.

Ocean Crust Divergence

The pulling apart of two tectonic plates made of oceanic crust at a divergent boundary.

Transform Fault Boundary

Where portions of the crust move past each other horizontally.

Hot Spots

Locations deep within the Earth where a plume of hot mantle material rises, resulting in volcanic activity.

Volcanoes

Openings or vents where lava and gases erupt onto the Earth's surface.

Earthquakes

The sudden release of strain energy in the Earth's crust, causing waves of shaking.

Tsunamis

Giant waves caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

Mantle

the thick, mostly solid layer of rock that lies between the Earth's crust and its core.