Plate Tectonics and Earth's Interior

These flashcards cover key concepts related to plate tectonics, the structure of Earth's interior, and the processes involved in plate movements.

Plate Boundaries

The regions where tectonic plates meet, where geological features like volcanoes, mountains, and trenches form.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost solid part of the mantle.

Asthenosphere

The semi-fluid layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows for the movement of tectonic plates.

Continental Crust

The thick part of the Earth's crust that forms the continents, primarily composed of granitic rocks.

Oceanic Crust

The thinner, denser part of the Earth's crust that forms the ocean floors, primarily composed of basaltic rocks.

Moho

The boundary between the Earth's crust and the underlying mantle, also known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity.

Plasticity

The ability of a solid material to flow under stress, important in understanding the behavior of the asthenosphere.

Subduction Zone

An area where one tectonic plate moves under another, often forming oceanic trenches and volcanic arcs.

Divergent Boundaries

Plate boundaries where two tectonic plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise and create new crust.

Convergent Boundaries

Plate boundaries where two plates collide, leading to subduction zones and the formation of mountains.

Transform Boundaries

Plate boundaries where two plates slide past each other horizontally, often causing earthquakes.

Seismic Waves

Vibrations that travel through the Earth and are produced by earthquakes or large explosions, used to study the Earth's interior.