Geology Flashcard

Front

P waves

Back

P waves (Primary waves) are seismic waves that cause the Earth to vibrate in the direction of the wave’s motion. They are the fastest seismic waves and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.

Front

Why was Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift originally rejected by geologists?

Back

Wegener’s hypothesis was originally rejected because he could not explain how the continents could move through the ocean floor.

Front

What causes the magma inside a volcano to rise towards the surface?

Back

Magma rises towards the surface because it is less dense than the surrounding rock.

Front

Hypothesis that the continents once formed a single land mass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations is called?

Back

This hypothesis is called Continental Drift.

Front

Alfred Wegener proposed that a continent was formed by continental drift. This supercontinent was called _______________.

Back

The supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener is called Pangaea.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other, causing geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Front

What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?

Back

Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than continental crust, which is thicker and less dense.

Front

What is seafloor spreading?

Back

Seafloor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away from the ridge.

Front

What is the Ring of Fire?

Back

The Ring of Fire is a major area in the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur due to tectonic plate movements.

Front

What is a fault line?

Back

A fault line is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock, which can lead to earthquakes.