Plate Tectonics

A series of flashcards summarizing key terms and definitions related to plate tectonics and plate boundaries.

Crust

The outermost, rigid layer of Earth where the lithosphere and plate tectonics are located.

Mantle

The middle layer of Earth, semi-plastic and moves slowly; contains the mesosphere and asthenosphere.

Core

The innermost layer of Earth, consisting of a solid inner core and a liquid outer core.

Asthenosphere

The upper part of the mantle where convection currents are located.

Lithosphere

The outermost layer of Earth, which includes the crust.

Convection Currents

Thermal currents that heat rocks; heated rocks become less dense and rise, while cooled rocks sink.

Alfred Wegener

Proposed the Theory of Continental Drift in 1912, which was later validated by the discovery of plate tectonics.

Continental Drift

The theory that all continents were once connected and have since drifted apart.

Pangea

The supercontinent that was a single landmass before the continents broke apart.

Plate Boundaries

The locations where two tectonic plates meet.

Oceanic Crust

The crust that makes up the ocean floor.

Continental Crust

The crust that makes up the land.

Convergent Boundary

A boundary where plates collide, leading to mountain building and subduction zones.

Subduction Zone

The region where one tectonic plate slips below another, often creating trenches and causing earthquakes.

Divergent Boundary

A boundary where plates move away from each other, resulting in new crust formation.

Rift

A linear zone where tectonic plates are pulling apart on land.

Rise

An underwater feature created by tectonic plates pulling apart in the ocean.

Trench

A deep depression formed by the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.

Seafloor Spreading

The process occurring at divergent boundaries where new crust is added to the ocean floor.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The world's longest mountain range found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Transform Boundary

A boundary where plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.

San Andreas Fault

The world's most active fault line located in California.

The Ring of Fire

A ring of volcanic and earthquake activity that follows the plates around the world.