Plate Tectonics

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to plate tectonics and the hypothesis of continental drift.

Continental Drift

The hypothesis that all continents were once connected as a single landmass and have since drifted apart.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

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

Subduction

The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another plate and sinks into the mantle.

Pangaea

A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, consisting of all the Earth's landmasses.

Fossil Evidence

Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms found in rock, used to support the hypothesis of continental drift.

Sea-Floor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away.

Ocean Trench

A deep valley in the ocean floor, formed by the subduction of one tectonic plate under another.

Evidence from Climate

Diverse climate indicators that suggest continents have moved from original positions, affecting their current climates.

Geologist Edward Suess

A prominent geologist who noted fossil clues supporting the hypothesis of continental drift.

Alfred Wegener

A German meteorologist who proposed the theory of continental drift in 1912.