Earth Science and American Geography Review

Flashcards covering the geological evolution of continents, Earth's internal structure, plate tectonics, rock classification, and the physical relief of North, Central, and South America.

Pangea

A single supercontinent that existed about $200$ million years ago, surrounded by the ocean Panthalassa.

Gondwana

The southern block formed during the Paleozoic era when Pangea began to separate.

Laurasia

The northern block formed during the Paleozoic era when Pangea began to separate.

Corteza (Crust)

The Earth's thin outer layer, varying between $3$ and $70$ kilometers in thickness, including oceanic and continental types.

Manto (Mantle)

The layer below the crust reaching a depth of approximately $2900$ kilometers, composed of silicates and rocks rich in iron, magnesium, silicon, and oxygen.

Región D''

The specific zone within the mantle located near the boundary between the mantle and the core.

Núcleo (Core)

The innermost part of Earth with a radius of approximately $3486$ kilometers, consisting of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.

Litósfera (Lithosphere)

The layer formed by the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle, reaching up to $100$ kilometers in oceans and between $100$ and $150$ kilometers on continents.

Astenósfera (Asthenosphere)

A flexible zone of the mantle upon which tectonic plates move.

Discontinuidad de Conrad (Conrad discontinuity)

The boundary that separates the continental crust from the oceanic crust.

Discontinuidad de Gutenberg (Gutenberg discontinuity)

The limit or boundary between the mantle and the core.

Tectonic Plates

The more than $14$ divisions of the lithosphere that move between $1$ and $10$ centimeters per year.

Corrientes de convección (Convection currents)

The process in the mantle where hot, less dense rocks rise and cold, denser rocks descend, moving tectonic plates.

Límites convergentes (Convergent boundaries)

Zones where plates approach each other, often resulting in subduction and the destruction of oceanic lithosphere.

Subducción (Subduction)

The process where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another, such as an oceanic plate sinking under a continental plate.

Límites divergentes (Divergent boundaries)

Zones where plates separate and magma rises to form new lithosphere, typically found at oceanic ridges like the Dorsal Mesoatlántica.

Límites transformantes (Transform boundaries)

Zones where plates slide laterally past one another, creating faults and earthquakes without creating or destroying lithosphere.

Vulcanismo intraplaca (Intraplate volcanism)

Volcanic activity occurring inside a plate related to hot spots or mantle plumes, such as the Hawaii archipelago.

Rocas ígneas (Igneous rocks)

Rocks formed by the cooling and solidification of magma or lava; classified as plutonic (intrusive), volcanic (extrusive), or filonianas.

Rocas metamórficas (Metamorphic rocks)

Rocks formed when existing rocks are subjected to high temperature and pressure without melting, such as granite turning into gneis.

Rocas sedimentarias (Sedimentary rocks)

Rocks formed from fragments of other rocks or organic remains through weathering, transport, and cementation.

Permeabilidad (Permeability)

The capacity of a rock to allow liquids to pass through it.

Escudo Canádico (Canadian Shield)

An ancient, eroded massif in northern North America rich in minerals and forests, shaped by glacial action.

Cordillera de los Andes

The main mountain range in western South America, divided into Northern, Central, and Southern sectors.

Aconcagua

The highest mountain in America, located in the Andes Meridionales with an approximate height of $6959$ meters.