plate tectonics
What is the theory that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle?
lithosphere
What is the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle and the location of Earth's plates?
crust
What is the outer layer of the Earth, the thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle?
mantle
What is the layer of the earth between the crust and the core?
outer core
What is the layer of molten (liquid) iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core of Earth?
inner core
What is the dense sphere of solid iron and nickel at the center of Earth?
asthenosphere
What is the solid, plasticlike layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere?
convection currents
What is the circular movement of a substance due to changes in temperature and density; responsible for the moving of Earth's plates?
pangea
What is the large supercontinent that existed 250 million years ago?
convergent boundary
What is the plate boundary where two plates move toward each other?
mountain building
What occurs when two plates collide together and create forces that cause folding and faulting of rock layers?
trench
What is the surface feature in the seafloor produced by the descending plate during subduction?
island arc
What is the a chain of volcanic islands formed at an ocean-ocean convergent boundary?
rift valley
What is the a deep valley that forms where two plates move apart?
divergent boundary
What is the where two plates are moving apart, magma comes up to create new crust?
transform fault boundary
What is the boundary formed where two lithospheric plates slide past each other?
Mountain building
What happens when 2 continental plates collide?
Subduction- The denser oceanic plate goes under the less dense continental plate.
What happens when an oceanic plate meets a continental plate at a convergent boundary?
Far from plate boundaries.
Where are strong earthquakes least likely to occur?
It is being forced into a smaller area
What is happening to Earth's crust at the Ring of Fire?
A sudden shift in the crust that releases built up stress. (The Earth goes "Postal")
What leads to an earthquake?
Alfred Wegner
Who developed the theory of "Continental Drift"?
Plate Tectonics
What modern day theory did "Continental Drift" lay the foundation for?
Two steep hills of the same height with a valley between
What would this landform look like?