8th Science Plate Tectonics

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What is Plate Tectonics?

Back

The theory that explains the structure and movement of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other, causing geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics, where new oceanic crust is created as tectonic plates pull apart.

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What is continental drift?

Back

The hypothesis that continents have moved over geological time from a single supercontinent to their current locations.

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What is Pangaea?

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A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, where all continents were joined together.

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What causes tectonic plates to move?

Back

Convection currents in the mantle, driven by heat from the Earth's core, cause the movement of tectonic plates.

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What is the significance of fossil evidence in plate tectonics?

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Fossils of similar species found on different continents support the idea that continents were once connected.

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What is the role of convection currents in the mantle?

Back

Convection currents are the movement of molten rock in the mantle that creates a cycle of rising and sinking material, driving plate movements.

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What is a transform boundary?

Back

A type of plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally, often causing earthquakes.

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What is a divergent boundary?

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A plate boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other, leading to the formation of new crust.