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Inside Earth 1:5
Ch.1. sec.5 Theory of plate tectonics
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Plate | A slab of Earth's lithosphere that can move around on the planets surface |
| scientific theory | A well-tested concept that explains a wide range of observations about a particular scientific question. |
| plate tectonics | The the theory that states that pieces of Earth’s lithosphere are in constant, slow motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle. |
| fault | A break in Earth's lithosphere where one block of rock moves toward, away from, or past another. |
| transform boundary | Two plates sliding horizontally past each other |
| divergent boundary | Place where two of Earth's tectonic plates are moving apart |
| rift valley | a deep valley that forms when two plates drift apart |
| convergent boundary | a boundary between lithospheric plates where the plates move toward one another and one plate is recycled into the mantle |