Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to earthquakes and plate tectonics.

Epicentre

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

Tectonic Plates

Large slabs of Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries.

Seismic Waves

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth, typically caused by earthquakes.

Convergent Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates collide, often forming mountains or trenches.

Divergent Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise and create new crust.

Transform Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates slide past each other horizontally.

Subduction Zone

An area where one tectonic plate is being forced under another, leading to volcanic activity.

Hot Spot

A volcanic region thought to be fed by underlying mantle that is anomalously hot.

Tsunami

A series of ocean waves caused by large displacements of water, often due to seismic activity.

Plate Tectonics

The scientific theory explaining the movements of Earth's plates and related geological phenomena.

Pangaea

A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, before breaking into the continents we know today.

Seafloor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and gradually moves away from the ridge.

P-Waves

Primary waves, a type of seismic wave that compresses and expands the material through which it passes.

S-Waves

Secondary waves, a type of seismic wave that moves the ground perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Abyssal Plain

The flat or gently sloping area of the deep ocean basin floor.

Continental Drift

The gradual movement of continents across the Earth’s surface through geological time.

Glacial Deposits

Sediments left behind by moving glaciers, often indicating past climatic conditions.

Volcanic Arc

A chain of volcanoes formed above a subducting tectonic plate.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics at divergent boundaries.