Plate Tectonics Vocab Practice

Divergent Boundary

When two plates move apart.

Convergent Boundary

When two plates come together

Transform Boundary

When two plates slide past each other.

Ridge

Underwater mountain formed when plates move apart, causing magma to cool and create new crust.

Sea-Floor Spreading

When the sea floor spreads apart and new crust is created.

Subduction

When oceanic crust sinks down beneath continental crust.

Trench

Deep underwater canyons (this happens with subduction)

Island Arc

Long chains of volcanoes resulting in islands. These are on trenches.

Rift (Rift Valley)

A deep valley created when two continental plates pull apart.

Uplift (Mountain Range)

The rising of Earth’s surface creating mountains.

Hotspot

An intensely hot area in the mantle below the Earth’s surface

Geyser

When rising hot water is heated up and sprays above the surface.

Hot Spring

When groundwater is heated by magma under the ground.

Hydrothermal Vents

When oceanic plates pull apart, creating cracks that allow cold seawater to seep in They are heated and erupt back out as hot fluids.