Papatūānuku & Aotearoa – Earth Structure and Continental Drift

Vocabulary flashcards covering Earth’s layers, plate structure, and the concept of continental drift from the lecture notes.

Crust

Earth’s very thin, outermost layer; broken into separate plates rather than one solid piece.

Continental Crust

The thicker portion of Earth’s crust that forms the continents.

Oceanic Crust

The thinner portion of Earth’s crust found beneath oceans.

Mantle

Layer beneath the crust; composed of a solid upper mantle and a molten lower mantle.

Upper Mantle

Solid part of the mantle that floats on the molten lower mantle.

Lower Mantle

Molten portion of the mantle on which the upper mantle rests.

Core

Earth’s innermost layer, composed primarily of iron.

Outer Core

Molten iron layer of the core that surrounds the solid inner core.

Inner Core

Solid iron center of the Earth.

Continental Drift

Theory that about 200 million years ago all continents were joined in one landmass (Pangaea) and have since moved apart.

Pangaea

The single supercontinent that existed when all continents were joined together.

Triassic Period

Geologic period when the supercontinent Pangaea began to break up into separate landmasses.