Earth's Internal Processes and Plate Tectonics

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Earth's internal processes, tectonic plates, rock types, and their formations.

Differentiation

The process of Earth's layers forming as materials separate by density.

Lithosphere

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

Asthenosphere

The plastic-like layer beneath the lithosphere where convection currents occur.

Convection Currents

The movement of fluid caused by temperature differences, driving tectonic plate motion.

Plate Tectonics

The theory that Earth's surface is divided into large moving plates.

Subduction

The process where one tectonic plate is forced below another.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

An underwater mountain system formed by plate tectonics, where new oceanic crust is created.

Foliation

The alignment of mineral crystals in metamorphic rocks, creating bands.

Seafloor Spreading

The process where new ocean floor is created at mid-ocean ridges and older ocean floor moves away.

Basalt

A type of volcanic rock that makes up the oceanic crust.

Granite

A type of intrusive igneous rock that makes up the continental crust.

Erosion

The process of weathered rock material being removed from its place of origin.

Volcanism

The eruption of magma from beneath the Earth's crust.

Hot Spot

An area in the mantle from which heat rises as a thermal plume, potentially causing volcanic activity.

Subduction Zone

A region where one tectonic plate slides under another.

Fault Line

A fracture in Earth's crust where blocks of land have moved.

Rift Valley

A lowland region that forms where tectonic plates move apart.

Divergent Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where plates move away from each other.

Transform Boundary

A plate boundary where two plates slide past each other.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance, important in understanding Earth's layers.

Inner Core

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

Outer Core

The liquid layer of Earth's core, also made mostly of iron and nickel.

Mantle

The thick layer of rock between the Earth's crust and core.

Crust

The outermost layer of Earth, consisting of the continental and oceanic crust.

Plate Boundaries

The edges where two tectonic plates meet.

Continental Drift

The theory that continents have moved over geological time to their current locations.

Pangea

A supercontinent that existed about 300 million years ago, comprising all Earth's landmasses.

Geological Features

Natural formations created by geological processes such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus.

Seismology

The scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of seismic waves.

Fossil Evidence

Remains or traces of ancient life used to support theories about continental drift.

Rock Cycle

The continuous process of rock formation, breakdown, and reformation.

Metamorphic Rock

Rock that has changed due to heat and pressure.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock formed from the compaction and cementation of sediments.

Igneous Rock

Rock that forms from cooled and solidified magma or lava.

Chemical Weathering

The breakdown of rocks through chemical reactions, often involving water.

Physical Weathering

The mechanical breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments without chemical change.

Cementation

The process of binding sediments together to form a solid rock.

Compaction

The process by which sediments are pressed together under their own weight.

Stratification

The layering that occurs in sedimentary rocks.

Clastic Sedimentary Rock

Rocks made from fragments of other rocks.

Biochemical Sedimentary Rock

Rocks formed from the remains of living organisms.

Crystalline Sedimentary Rock

Rocks formed from chemical precipitation from solution.

Magma

Molten rock beneath the Earth's surface.

Lava

Molten rock that reaches the Earth's surface.

Pluton

A large, intrusive igneous rock body.

Batholith

A large mass of igneous rock that has cooled and solidified deep in the Earth's crust.

Volcano

An opening in the Earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected.

Foliated Rock

Metamorphic rocks that have been subjected to pressure causing their minerals to align.

Non-Foliated Rock

Metamorphic rocks that do not have a banded or layered appearance.