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Forces of Change
Plate Tectonics, Weather, and Erosion
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Core | The super-hot center of Earth, made of iron and nickel. |
| Mantle | The thick, hot layer of rock beneath the crust. |
| Crust | The thin, rocky outer shell of Earth. |
| Continental drift | The theory that continents were once joined and have moved apart over time |
| Plate tectonics | The movement of giant plates that make up Earth’s surface |
| Magma | Molten rock beneath Earth’s surface |
| Subduction | When one plate slides under another, often forming trenches or volcanoes. |
| Spreading | When plates move apart and magma rises to form new crust. |
| Fold | A bend in layers of rock, usually from pressure. |
| Fault | A crack in Earth’s crust caused by plate movement. |
| Faulting | The process of breaking and moving along a fault. |
| Weathering | The breaking down of rocks by wind, water, or other forces. |
| Erosion | The movement of rock and soil by wind, water, or ice. |
| Glacier | A large body of moving ice. |
| Moraine | A pile of rocks and debris left by a glacier. |