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3.5 Vocabulary
Plate Tectonics
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| convergent boundary | a plate boundary where two plates move toward each other |
| divergent boundary | a plate boundary where two plates move away from each other |
| fault | a break or crack in Earth's lithosphere along which the rocks move |
| plate | a section of the lithosphere that slowly moves over the asthenosphere carrying pieces of continental and oceanic crust |
| plate tectonics | the theory that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle |
| rift valley | a deep valley that forms where two plates move apart |
| scientific theory | a well-tested concept that explains a wide range of observations |
| transform boundary | a plate boundary where two plates move past each other in opposite directions |