Layers of the Earth & Plate Tectonics

Front

What are the three main layers of the Earth?

Back

The three main layers of the Earth are the crust, mantle, and core.

Front

What is the difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?

Back

Oceanic crust is denser and thinner than continental crust.

Front

What type of plate boundary occurs when two plates move apart?

Back

Divergent boundary.

Front

What type of plate boundary occurs when two plates collide?

Back

Convergent boundary.

Front

What is a subduction zone?

Back

A subduction zone is a type of convergent boundary where one plate is forced under another.

Front

What is the primary source of heat that drives convection currents in the Earth's mantle?

Back

The core.

Front

What happens to rocks as they move away from mid-ocean ridges?

Back

They get older as they get farther away from mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is a transform boundary?

Back

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

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

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

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The asthenosphere is the semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere that allows tectonic plates to move.