Geological Concepts

Front

Continental drift

Back

Hypothesis that continents are in constant motion

Front

Fossil

Back

Naturally preserved remains, imprints, or traces of organisms

Front

Mantle

Back

Middle layer of Earth situated between the crust above and the core below

Front

Pangaea

Back

Ancient supercontinent, composed of land that forms today’s continents

Front

Magnetic reversal

Back

Event in which the magnetic field reverses direction

Front

Mid-ocean ridge

Back

Mountain range located on the seafloor in the middle of the ocean

Front

Normal

Back

Conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern

Front

Normal polarity

Back

Today’s magnetic field; magnets orient themselves to point north

Front

Reversed polarity

Back

Magnetic field in which magnets orient themselves to point south

Front

Seafloor spreading

Back

New oceanic crust forms at a mid-ocean ridge as old oceanic crust moves away