Plate Tectonics

Front

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.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

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.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Front

What is a transform boundary?

Back

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

Front

What is a convergent boundary?

Back

A plate boundary where two plates collide, leading to the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.

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What is a divergent boundary?

Back

A plate boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other, often resulting in the formation of rift valleys or mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another plate and sinks into the mantle, often leading to volcanic activity.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

What are rift valleys?

Back

Low-lying areas that form when tectonic plates move away from each other, causing the crust to fracture and sink.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

What is an earthquake?

Back

A sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves, often caused by the movement of tectonic plates.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Front

What are volcanic islands?

Back

Islands formed by volcanic activity, often resulting from the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1