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Tectonics & Solar Sy
* 7.9ABC, 7.10AB Solar System & Plate Tectonics
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| theory | an explanation for why a phenomenon |
| hypothesis | an idea that can be tested by experimentation or investigation |
| law | description of a repeated pattern observed in nature, without an explanation for the pattern |
| continental drift | the idea that the continents were once fused together but slowly drifted apart over time |
| tectonic plates | more than a dozen distinct plates that make up Earth’s surface and slowly move in different directions |
| supercontinent | one giant continent into which most or all of the continents were assembled long ago |
| superposition | the condition of undisturbed sedimentary rock in which the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer is at the top |
| convection current | a type of thermal energy transfer in which differences in temperature and density of fluids make them rise and fall |
| convergent boundary | boundary where two tectonic plates move together, or converge |
| divergent boundary | boundary where two tectonic plates move away, or diverge, from one another |
| transform boundary | boundary where tectonic plates slide past each other in opposite directions |
| ocean basin | the area under ocean water |
| subduction | process in which a dense plate sinks under a less dense plate and melts in Earth’s mantle |
| fault | a break in the rock of Earth’s crust or mantle |
| earthquake | shaking and trembling that result from tectonic plate movement |
| seismic waves | vibrations that travel through Earth carrying energy |
| Richter scale | a rating of an earthquake’s magnitude, on a scale from 0-9, based on the size if its seismic waves |
| volcano | a structure that forms in Earth’s crust when molten material reaches Earth’s surface |
| magma | molten mixture of rock-forming substances, gases, and water from Earth’s mantle |
| lava | magma that has reached Earth’s surface |
| hot spot | area of the mantle where hot rock rises upward |
| supervolcano | structure that forms when magma rises into Earth’s crust but is trapped and can’t break through to the surface, causing pressure to build over time ad finally erupt |
| plate tectonic theory | theory that explains the movement of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into large tectonic plates that interact at their boundaries, causing geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation |
| Pangaea | supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras |
| fossil record | crucial historical archive that documents the history of life on Earth through the remains or imprints of organisms preserved in sedimentary rock |
| index fossils | remains of organisms that lived during specific, relatively short geological time periods; used to date and correlate rock layers across different regions |
| continental crust | outermost layer of Earth's lithosphere, primarily composed of granitic rocks; forms the continents |
| oceanic crust | outermost layer of Earth's lithosphere beneath the ocean basins, primarily composed of dense rocks |
| mid-ocean ridge | underwater mountain range, typically having a valley known as a rift running along its axis, formed by plate tectonics |
| seafloor spreading | geological process where new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and gradually moves away from the ridge |
| rift valley | linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges produced by the action of a geologic rift |
| mountain | elevated portion of the surface of a planet, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock |
| trench | type of depression in the ground that is usually deeper than wide, and narrow compared to its length |
| island arc volcano | chains of active volcanoes formed at convergent tectonic plate boundaries, primarily through subduction |
| ridge | long, narrow chain of hills or mountains |
| Planet | An object that orbits the Sun, has become rounded by its own gravity, and has cleared the area of its orbit |
| Asteroid | A small, mostly rocky or metallic body that orbits the Sun in the inner solar system |
| Meteor | A meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere in a streak of light |
| Kuiper belt | A region beyond Neptune's orbit extending 30 to 50 AU from the Sun |
| Comet | A loose ball of ice and rock that usually has a long, narrow orbit around the Sun |
| Oort Cloud | The most distant part of our solar system |
| Solar System | The Sun, the planets, and a variety of other objects |
| Sun | an average-sized star, composed of helium and hydrogen, at the center of the solar system |
| Orbit | to travel in a curved path around something |
| Astronomical Unit | A unit of distance equal to the mean distance from the Sun to the Earth, or about 150,000,000 km |
| Moon | A natural object, or satellite, that orbits a planet |
| Dwarf Planet | an object that orbits the Sun and has enough gravity to be round but has not cleared the area of its orbit |
| Composition | What makes up an object or a material |
| Inertia | The tendency of an object in motion to resist a change in motion unless acted upon by a force |
| Habitable Zone | an area around a star where it is neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface of the planets within the area |
| Gravity | the force that pulls things toward each other. |
| Habitability | How livable a place, such as a planet, is |
| Sustainability | Using resources in a way that humans do not run out of them, so they can continue to be used in the future |
| Atmosphere | The layer of gasses that surrounds a planet. |
| Revolve/Revolution | To move in a curved path round a center or axis. |
| Terrestrial (Inner) Rocky Planets | One of the four inner planets of the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. |
| Jovian (Outer) Gaseous Planets | One of the four outer planets of the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. |
| Water | Odorless and tasteless liquid; comes from clouds as rain, forms streams, lakes, and seas, and is a major constituent of all living matter; freezes at 0°C, boils at 100°C, and is a conductor of electricity and a good solvent. |
| Essential Factors of Life on Earth | 1. Right distance from the Sun. 2. Protected by magnetic field from solar radiation. 3. Kept warm by an insulating atmosphere. 4. Accessible liquid water. 5. Has the right chemical ingredients for life. |
| Elliptical Orbit | Path followed by a satellite and shaped like an ellipse (oval), characterized by two focal points. |
| Force | Cause of motion or change; push or pull. |
| Gravitational Attraction | Force that attracts any two objects with mass. |
| Celestial Body | Naturally occurring physical structures in the universe, including stars, planets, moons, asteroids, and galaxies. |
Created by:
trauberk
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