Plate Motion Chapter 3

Front

What causes earthquakes?

Back

Plate motion causes earthquakes.

Front

How do geologists observe plate motion?

Back

Geologists measure plate motion using GPS, as plates move very slowly.

Front

What happens at divergent plate boundaries?

Back

Soft, solid rock from the mantle rises as the plates move away from each other, hardening to add rock to the edges of both plates.

Front

Where were the continents 200 million years ago?

Back

The continents would all be together in one giant continent.

Front

How do geologists use GPS to study plate motion?

Back

Geologists use permanent GPS units installed in solid rock to track plate motion.

Front

What is plate tectonics?

Back

Plate tectonics is the theory that explains the movement of the Earth's plates and how they interact.

Front

What are the three types of plate boundaries?

Back

Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

Front

What occurs at convergent plate boundaries?

Back

Plates move together, and one may sink under the other, forming trenches.

Front

What is a transform boundary?

Back

A transform boundary is where two plates slide past each other horizontally.

Front

What is the significance of the mantle in plate motion?

Back

The mantle's soft, solid rock rises to create new crust at divergent boundaries.