Geological Concepts

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Wegener

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A scientist known for proposing the theory of continental drift.

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Continental Drift

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The hypothesis that continents move across the Earth's surface over geological time.

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Seafloor Spreading

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The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and slowly moves away.

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Plate Tectonics

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The theory explaining the structure of the Earth's crust as divided into plates that move over the mantle.

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Sonar and Seafloor Mapping

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Techniques used to map the ocean floor, aiding in the study of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.

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GPS Measurements

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Technology used to measure the movement of tectonic plates with high precision.

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Carbon Dating

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A method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by measuring its carbon-14 content.

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Subduction Zones

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Regions where one tectonic plate moves under another, sinking into the mantle as the plates converge.

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Transform Boundaries

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Places where tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other, often causing earthquakes.

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Hotspots

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Volcanic regions thought to be fed by underlying mantle that is anomalously hot compared with the surrounding mantle.