Metamorphic Rocks and Plate Tectonics Study Guide

These flashcards review key terms and concepts related to metamorphic rocks, plate tectonics, earthquakes, and Earth's interior.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks formed from pre-existing rocks that have undergone metamorphism.

Metamorphism

A process where a rock undergoes a chemical change, usually due to heat and/or pressure.

Contact Metamorphism

Occurs when magma heats nearby rocks, causing them to change.

Regional Metamorphism

Occurs over large areas due to tectonic plate movements, resulting in significant changes.

Foliated Rocks

Metamorphic rocks that exhibit a layered, striped, or banded appearance.

Non-Foliated Rocks

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

Parent Rock

The original rock from which a metamorphic rock forms.

Daughter Rock

The new metamorphic rock formed from heat and pressure.

Fault

A fracture along which the blocks of crust have moved relative to one another.

Normal Fault

A fault where the rock above the fault plane moves down.

Reverse Fault

A fault where the rock above the fault plane moves up.

Strike-Slip Fault

A fault where the movement is horizontal.

Epicenter

The location on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

P Waves

Primary waves that are the first to leave the focus and can travel through solids and liquids.

S Waves

Secondary waves that are the second to leave the focus and can only travel through solids.

Surface Waves

Waves that cause the Earth's crust to ripple like waves on the ocean and are often the most destructive.

Richter Scale

An older scale that measures the amplitude of the largest earthquake wave.

Moment Magnitude Scale

A newer and more accurate scale that measures the movement of the plate and the damage caused.

Convergent Boundary

A plate boundary where two plates collide, forming mountains, earthquakes, and faults.

Divergent Boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move apart, forming mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.

Transform Boundary

A plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other, forming faults and earthquakes.

Convection Currents

The motion responsible for plate tectonics, occurring as material rises and sinks in the Earth's mantle.

Paleomagnetism

The study of the magnetic properties of rocks to provide evidence for plate tectonics.

Hot Spots

Volcanoes formed from a hole in a tectonic plate; as the plate moves, the volcano moves with it.

Mantle

The thickest layer of the Earth, composed of solid and melted rock.

Outer Core

The liquid layer of the Earth made of iron and nickel, located beneath the mantle.

Inner Core

The solid, hottest layer of the Earth that is most compressed, composed of iron and nickel.