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Plate Tectonics Voca

Vocabulary review

TermDefinition
continental drift Alfred Wegener's idea that the continents move
plate tectonics The theory that states that the outer shell of Earth is divided into several lithospheric plates that move atop convection currents in the mantle.
tectonic plate A block of Earth's lithosphere that is made of the crust and rigid portion of the mantle
convergent plate boundary Boundary between two tectonic plates where plates move toward one another.
transform plate boundary Boundary between two tectonic plates where plates meet and slide past one another.
sea floor spreading A process occurring at mid-ocean ridges in which plates move away from each other and new oceanic lithosphere is created by rising magma which solidifies.
convection currents Currents that flow in a circular motion due to changes in density that are caused by a heat source from below. heat goes up, cold comes down.
divergent plate boundary Boundary between two tectonic plates where plates pull apart from one another.
Pangaea Supercontinent which existed 245 million years ago. Over time, Pangaea was broken apart by tectonic plate movement into the 7 continents we see today.
paleomagnetism the study of Earth's magnetic record that is found in rocks. When the magma begins cooling, magnetite crystals grow in the magma until it solidifies into rock. Since these crystals are magnetic, they will align with Earth's magnetic field.
mid-oceanic ridge found at a divergent boundary. New rock is closest to it. Large mountain range in the ocean. Caused by sea floor spreading.
ridge push The mid-ocean ridge, where new rock is formed, is higher than the rest of the tectonic plate. Gravity causes the ridge rock to push down on the plate causing the opposite side of the plate to be pushed down into the mantle and causing the plate to shift.
slab pull As the cold, dense ocean plate is pushed back into the less dense mantle its weight pulls down on the rest of the plate
mantle convection The tectonic plates are pulled along as the convection currents circulate beneath them. View the video below to see this in action.
subduction Happens at a convergent boundary. The dense continental plate cools and becomes more dense. It sinks under the oceanic plate, melts, and becomes magma.
collision When two continental plates come together, neither is dense enough to sink below the other so the plates will collide into each other. When this occurs the rocks will buckle and push upward forming the world's tallest mountains.
earthquakes caused by 2 plates pushing against each over at convergent, divergent, and transverse boundaries
volcanos At subduction zones, the denser plate is pushed into the Earth where it is melted into magma. Magma is less dense that the rock above and will rise to the surface through openings in the rock. These occur along convergent plate boundaries.
mountains When two continental plates collide they will buckle, much like two cars crashing together. As the plates continue to push together they will push the land higher and higher forming a mountain range.
divergent plate boundary volcano As the plates move apart, it is easier for magma to reach the surface, resulting in volcanic activity at divergent plate boundaries.
rift valley happen at divergent boundaries. result from the falling of material as the plates pull away from each other. This forms a dropped zone with narrow, flat valleys and steep sides. The East African rift valley is an example of this.
ocean trench a deep hole formed when one plate subducts under another plate.
Created by: MsLW
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