Higher layer on the Earth's mantle, but still situated lower than the lithosphere.

Process where two tectonic plates collide the plate that is denser will descend below the less-dense plate.

The theory that explains how new oceanic crust is formed at ocean ridges, slowly moved away from ocean ridges, and destroyed at deep-sea trenches.

Convection currents in the mantle that are thought to be the main force of plate movements.

Tectonic process associated with convection currents in Earth's mantle that occurs when the weight of an elevated ridge pushes an oceanic plate towards a subsection zone.

Tectonic process associated with convection currents in Earth's mantle that occurs as the weight of the subducting plate pulls the trailing lithosphere into a subduction zone.

Magma that flows out onto Earth's surface.

Molten rock beneath Earth's surface.

Huge pieces of Earth's crust that covers its surface and fit together at their edges.

Theory of Continental Drift

Wegener's theory that Earth's continents were joined as a single landmass, called Pangaea, that broke apart about 200 million years ago and slowly moved to their present locations.

Place where two tectonic plates are moving towards each other; is associated with trenches, islands arcs, and folded mountains.

Place where two of Earth's tectonic plates are moving apart; is associated with volcanism, earthquakes, and high heat flow, and is primarily found on the seafloor.

Place where two tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other; is characterized by long faults and shallow earthquakes.

Unusually hot area in Earth's mantle where high-temperature plumes of mantle material rise toward the surface.

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

Point of the initial fault rupture where an earthquake originates .

Ancient landmass made up of all the continents that began to break apart about 200 million years ago.

Geological/environmental state that can lead to large amounts of varying damage to the environmental.

Compression causes vertical movement along a fault plane.

Shear causes horizontal movement along a fault plane.

Tension causes vertical movement downward along a fault plane.

Stress that decreases the volume of a material.

Stress that pulls a material apart.

Stress that causes material to twist.

Granite rocks that are light-colored.

Basaltic rocks that are dark-colored.

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Unit 3 Vocab Erika H

Plate Tectonics

Term	Definition
Asthenosphere	Higher layer on the Earth's mantle, but still situated lower than the lithosphere.
Subduction	Process where two tectonic plates collide the plate that is denser will descend below the less-dense plate.
Seafloor Spreading	The theory that explains how new oceanic crust is formed at ocean ridges, slowly moved away from ocean ridges, and destroyed at deep-sea trenches.
Mantle Convection	Convection currents in the mantle that are thought to be the main force of plate movements.
Ridge Push	Tectonic process associated with convection currents in Earth's mantle that occurs when the weight of an elevated ridge pushes an oceanic plate towards a subsection zone.
Slab Pull	Tectonic process associated with convection currents in Earth's mantle that occurs as the weight of the subducting plate pulls the trailing lithosphere into a subduction zone.
Lava	Magma that flows out onto Earth's surface.
Magma	Molten rock beneath Earth's surface.
Tectonic Plate	Huge pieces of Earth's crust that covers its surface and fit together at their edges.
Theory of Continental Drift	Wegener's theory that Earth's continents were joined as a single landmass, called Pangaea, that broke apart about 200 million years ago and slowly moved to their present locations.
Convergent Boundary	Place where two tectonic plates are moving towards each other; is associated with trenches, islands arcs, and folded mountains.
Divergent Boundary	Place where two of Earth's tectonic plates are moving apart; is associated with volcanism, earthquakes, and high heat flow, and is primarily found on the seafloor.
Transform Boundary	Place where two tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other; is characterized by long faults and shallow earthquakes.
Hot Spot	Unusually hot area in Earth's mantle where high-temperature plumes of mantle material rise toward the surface.
Epicenter	Point on Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
Focus	Point of the initial fault rupture where an earthquake originates .
Pangaea	Ancient landmass made up of all the continents that began to break apart about 200 million years ago.
Geohazard	Geological/environmental state that can lead to large amounts of varying damage to the environmental.
Reversal Fault	Compression causes vertical movement along a fault plane.
Strike-Slip Fault	Shear causes horizontal movement along a fault plane.
Normal Fault	Tension causes vertical movement downward along a fault plane.
Compression	Stress that decreases the volume of a material.
Tension	Stress that pulls a material apart.
Shearing	Stress that causes material to twist.
Felsic	Granite rocks that are light-colored.
Mafic	Basaltic rocks that are dark-colored.

Created by: erikah0602

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