Plate Tectonics and Earth's Interior

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture on plate tectonics and Earth's structure.

Plate Tectonics

The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle.

Asthenosphere

The upper layer of the earth's mantle, below the lithosphere, where convection currents occur.

Convection Currents

The circular movement of fluids caused by differences in temperature and density.

S-Waves

Seismic waves that move with a side-to-side motion and cannot travel through liquids.

Epicenter

The point on the Earth's surface directly above the point where an earthquake originates.

Subduction Zone

A region where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Continental Drift

The hypothetical movement of the continents over geological time.

Rift Valley

A lowland region that forms where Earth's tectonic plates move apart.

Transform Boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates slide past one another.

Crust

The outermost layer of the Earth, composed of rock.

MOHO (Mohorovic Discontinuity)

The boundary between the Earth's crust and the mantle.

Caldera

A large crater formed by the collapse of a volcano into itself.

Hot Spot

An area in the mantle from which heat rises as a thermal plume, creating magma; can lead to volcanic activity.

Mantle

The thick layer of rock that separates the Earth’s crust from its outer core.

Outer Core

The liquid layer of the Earth's core, beneath the mantle.

Inner Core

The solid, innermost layer of the Earth, composed primarily of iron and nickel.

Seismology

The study of earthquakes and the propagation of seismic waves.

Earthquake

The shaking of the Earth's surface caused by the release of energy in the Earth's crust.

Tsunami

A series of ocean waves caused by large underwater disturbances or earthquakes.

Volcano

An opening in the Earth's crust where molten lava, ash, and gases can escape.

Lava

Magma that has reached the Earth's surface.

Magma

Molten rock located beneath the Earth's surface.

Plate Boundary

The edges where two tectonic plates meet.

Geological Time Scale

A system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time.

Fossils

Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

Geothermal Energy

Energy derived from the heat stored beneath the Earth's surface.

Metamorphic Rock

Rock that has been changed by heat, pressure, or chemical processes.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock formed by the accumulation and compaction of mineral and organic particles.

Igneous Rock

Rock formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.

Erosion

The process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth's surface by natural processes.

Deposition

The process in which sediment, soil, and rocks are added to a landform.

Plate Movement

The movement of the tectonic plates in the Earth's crust.

Fault

A fracture in the Earth's crust along which movement has occurred.

Seismic Waves

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth’s layers and are caused by earthquakes or explosions.

Fold Mountains

Mountains formed mainly by the effects of folding on layers within the upper part of the Earth's crust.

Ring of Fire

A major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Earth's Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the planet, essential for life.

Pangea

The name of the supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.

Geological Survey

An organization that studies and maps geological features.

Conservative Boundary

A plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide past one another, causing earthquakes.

Oceanic-Continental Convergence

When an oceanic plate meets a continental plate and the denser oceanic plate subducts.

Continental-Continental Convergence

When two continental plates collide, resulting in mountain formation.

Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence

When two oceanic plates collide, one may subduct, leading to the formation of islands.

Fill-in-the-blank: The is the outermost layer of the Earth.

Crust.

Fill-in-the-blank: The is the upper layer of the mantle, where convection currents occur.

Asthenosphere.

Fill-in-the-blank: The is a region where one tectonic plate moves under another.

Subduction Zone.

Fill-in-the-blank: The are seismic waves that cannot travel through liquids.

S-Waves.

Fill-in-the-blank: The is the point on the Earth's surface directly above where an earthquake originates.

Epicenter.

True or False: The MOHO is the boundary between the crust and mantle.

True.

True or False: Continental Drift is the theory of how earthquakes occur.

False, it is about the movement of continents.

True or False: A caldera is formed by the eruption of a volcano.

True.

True or False: Transform Boundaries are where two plates collide with each other.

False, they slide past one another.

What is the process called by which sediment is laid down in new locations?

Deposition.

What type of rock is formed from the cooling of magma?

Igneous Rock.

What do we call the large area around the Pacific Ocean known for its volcanic activity?

Ring of Fire.

What is the name given to the solid innermost layer of the Earth?

Inner Core.

Name the area in the mantle where heat rises as a thermal plume.

Hot Spot.

What major geological event can occur at a transform boundary?

Earthquakes.

What is the result of oceanic-continental convergence?

Subduction and volcanic activity.

What is formed at a rift valley?

A lowland region where tectonic plates move apart.