Tectonic Plates

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The asthenosphere is the semi-fluid layer of the mantle located beneath the lithosphere, allowing tectonic plates to move.

Front

What is the theory of continental drift?

Back

The theory proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912, suggesting that continents were once joined and have since drifted apart.

Front

What is plate tectonics?

Back

The scientific theory that describes the large-scale movements of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates.

Front

What is sea floor spreading?

Back

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

Front

What landform is most likely formed by a divergent tectonic plate boundary?

Back

A rift zone, where tectonic plates move apart, creating new crust.

Front

What evidence supports the theory of plate tectonics?

Back

Evidence includes the fit of continental coastlines, fossil distribution, and geological similarities across continents.

Front

What is a convergent plate boundary?

Back

A boundary where two tectonic plates collide, often forming mountains or causing subduction.

Front

What is a transform plate boundary?

Back

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

Front

What is subduction?

Back

The process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.