Plate Tectonics and Geological Dating

Vocabulary flashcards covering the basics of plate tectonics, crust structure, and plate formation processes.

Earth plates

The pieces into which the Earth's crust is broken, which are constantly in motion.

Faults

Cracks that occur at the edges of Earth plates.

Asthenosphere

The layer containing hot plastic material that rises to the lithosphere to create plate movement.

Hotspots (gloeipunten)

Locally hot areas where plastic material from the asthenosphere touches the lithosphere, pushing it upward.

Rift stars (riftsterren)

Cracks that form in the lithosphere when the tension caused by hotspots becomes too great.

Continental plates

Plates consisting largely of continental crust with a small amount of oceanic crust.

Oceanic plates

Plates that consist exclusively of oceanic crust.

Plate tectonics

The movement of the Earth's plates caused by internal forces.

7

The number of large primary plates that the Earth's crust is subdivided into.