Geothermal Energy, Volcanoes, and Fossils

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to geothermal energy, volcanoes, fossils, and geological processes.

Geothermal Energy

A renewable energy source that harnesses heat from the Earth.

Dormant Volcano

A volcano that is not currently erupting but may erupt again in the future.

Vents

Openings in the Earth’s surface where magma, ash, and gases escape during a volcanic eruption.

Convergent Plate Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where plates move towards each other, potentially creating subduction zones.

Divergent Plate Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where plates move away from each other, leading to sea floor spreading.

Transform Plate Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where plates slide past each other, usually resulting in earthquakes.

Petrified Fossil

When wood or other living material turns into stone over a long period.

Mold

A hollow impression left in rock after the original plant or animal has decayed.

Cast

A fossil formed when minerals fill in a mold and harden, creating a copy of the original organism.

Radiometric Dating

A method used to determine the age of fossils by measuring the decay of radioactive materials.

Fossil Fuels

Energy resources made from the buried remains of ancient plants and animals over millions of years.

Plate Tectonics

The theory explaining the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates which affects earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.

The Ring of Fire

A circle around the Pacific Ocean where many volcanoes are found due to tectonic plate boundaries.

Relative Dating

A method of determining the age of rocks or fossils by comparing them to others but not providing an exact age.

Absolute Dating

A process that determines the actual age of a rock or fossil in years.

Hot Spot

An area where volcanic activity occurs away from plate boundaries due to magma rising from deep within the Earth.