Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Mountain Ranges – Science 10 Lecture

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key geological terms, theories, structures, and examples discussed in the Science 10 first-quarter lecture on volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain ranges.

Active Volcano

A volcano with documented eruptions within the last 10,000 years.

Continent

A large continuous body of land on Earth’s surface.

Earthquake

The shaking of Earth due to the rapid release of energy in the crust.

Epicenter

The point on Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s focus.

Focus (Hypocenter)

The exact underground location where an earthquake originates.

Magma

Molten rock located beneath Earth’s surface.

Mountain

A landform that rises prominently above its surroundings; higher than a hill.

Mountain Range

A chain or line of connected mountains.

Seismic Waves

Energy waves generated by an earthquake.

Primary (P) Wave

Fastest seismic wave; compressional and travels through solids, liquids, and gases.

Secondary (S) Wave

Slower, shearing seismic wave that travels through solids only.

Seismogram

The graphical record of ground motion produced by a seismograph.

Seismograph

An instrument that detects, measures, and records earthquake motions.

Tsunami

A large sea wave, often caused by undersea earthquakes; Japanese for “harbor wave.”

Volcano

An opening in Earth’s crust, often a mountain, through which lava, ash, and gases erupt.

Crust

Earth’s thin, outermost solid layer.

Mantle

Layer beneath the crust composed of semi-solid rock.

Core

Earth’s central layer, divided into a liquid outer core and solid inner core.

Lithosphere

Rigid outer shell made of the crust and uppermost mantle.

Plate Tectonics Theory

Concept that Earth’s lithosphere is broken into moving plates that interact at boundaries.

Continental Drift Theory

Alfred Wegener’s idea that continents move and were once joined in supercontinent Pangaea.

Seafloor Spreading

Process in which new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and moves outward.

Contraction Theory

Early hypothesis that Earth cooled and contracted, wrinkling its surface.

Pangaea

A supercontinent that existed about 200 million years ago before breaking apart.

Gondwana

Southern part of Pangaea containing Africa, Antarctica, South America, Australia, and India.

Laurasia

Northern part of Pangaea containing Asia, North America, and Europe.

Divergent Plate Boundary

Region where tectonic plates move apart and new crust forms.

Convergent Plate Boundary

Region where plates collide, often causing subduction or mountain building.

Transform Plate Boundary

Region where plates slide horizontally past one another.

Tectonic Plate

A rigid segment of the lithosphere that moves over the asthenosphere.

Eurasian Plate

Major tectonic plate covering Europe and most of Asia.

Philippine Plate

Small plate underlying the Philippine Sea and adjacent regions of the Pacific.

Indo-Australian Plate

Large plate carrying India, Australia, and surrounding ocean floor.

Pacific Plate

Earth’s largest tectonic plate, beneath the Pacific Ocean.

North American Plate

Plate carrying North America and part of the Atlantic seafloor.

African Plate

Plate containing the African continent and adjacent oceanic crust.

Nazca Plate

Oceanic plate off the west coast of South America.

Cocos Plate

Small oceanic plate beneath the eastern Pacific off Central America.

Antarctic Plate

Plate including Antarctica and surrounding seafloor.

Caribbean Plate

Small tectonic plate in the Caribbean region.

Juan de Fuca Plate

Small oceanic plate off the Pacific Northwest of North America.

Scotia Plate

Small plate between South America and Antarctica.

Fault

A fracture in Earth’s crust along which movement occurs.

Normal Fault

Fault where the hanging wall moves downward owing to tension.

Reverse Fault

Fault where the hanging wall moves upward owing to compression.

Strike-Slip Fault

Fault where blocks move horizontally past one another.

Oblique Fault

Fault involving both vertical and horizontal motion.

Wave Front

The leading boundary of an advancing seismic wave.

Orogenesis

The process of mountain formation.

Folded Mountain

Mountain formed by compression and folding of Earth’s crust at convergent boundaries.

Volcanic Mountain

Mountain built by accumulation of erupted lava, ash, and rock fragments.

Dome Mountain

Mountain created when rising magma uplifts and hardens without erupting.

Erosion-Formed (Plateau) Mountain

Elevated flat area formed by uplift and extensive erosion.

Fault-Block Mountain

Mountain formed when normal faulting uplifts large crustal blocks.

Himalayas

Highest mountain range on Earth, formed by the collision of India and Eurasia.

Andes

World’s longest continental mountain range, along western South America.

Alps

Major European mountain range stretching from France to Austria.

Rocky Mountains

Major mountain range forming the backbone of western North America.

Ural Mountains

Mountain range in Russia marking the boundary between Europe and Asia.

Sierra Madre

The longest mountain range in the Philippines.

Mt. Apo

The highest mountain peak in the Philippines.

Taal Volcano

One of the world’s smallest active volcanoes, located in the Philippines.