Plate tectonic Vocabulary

Front

Fault

Back

A fracture zone of two blocks of rock that allows for movement of the Earth's surface.

Front

Intrusive Igneous Rock

Back

Magma that cools and hardens beneath the Earth's surface.

Front

Sediment

Back

Broken pieces of rock or living remains of shells, leaves, bones, and feces.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

Lithosphere

Back

The upper part of the mantle and the Earth's crust made up of solid rock.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

Dip-Slip Fault

Back

A type of fault where the land moves vertically in comparison to its original location.

Front

Asthenosphere

Back

The semi-fluid layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows for tectonic movement.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

NGSS.HS-ESS2-3

Front

Plate Boundary

Back

The edges where two tectonic plates meet, which can be divergent, convergent, or transform.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

Sea-Floor Spreading

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

Transform Fault

Back

A type of fault where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

Front

Convergent Boundary

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3