crust
Earth's outermost layer.
continental crust
The part of Earth's crust that makes up the landmasses and is composes mostly of granite.
granite
The most common type of rock that makes up continental crust.
oceanic crust
The part of Earth's crust that makes up the seafloor and is comprised mostly of basalt.
basalt
The most common type of rock that makes up oceanic crust.
mantle
The thickest layer of the Earth that lies between the crust and outer core.
outer core
A liquid layer of the Earth located between the mantle and inner core.
inner core
The solid, innermost layer of the Earth.
lithosphere
The Earth's crust and upper portion of the mantle.
asthenosphere
The soft layer of the mantle where convection occurs and on which the tectonic plates move.
magma
Molten rock located beneath the Earth's surface.
continental drift
The hypothesis that states that the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations.
Alfred Wegener
A German scientist who proposed the theory of continental drift
pangaea
The name of the single landmass that broke apart 200 million years ago and gave rise to today's continents
tectonic plates
Large movable plates under the Earth's surface.
convection currents
The process in Earth's mantle that scientists believe is driving the movement of the plates due to the heating and cooling of magma.
plate boundary
the place where two tectonic plates meet