ES Flashcard #2 Review (21-22)

Front

What is the evidence for plate tectonic theory?

Back

Fossils match up across continents, GPS can measure continents moving each year, Glacier grooves match up on different continents.

Front

What forms deep ocean trenches?

Back

Deep ocean trenches are formed by one tectonic plate sinking/subducting beneath another continental plate.

Front

What does sea floor spreading refer to?

Back

Sea floor spreading is the process where tectonic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and create new oceanic crust.

Front

What occurs at a transform boundary?

Back

At a transform boundary, tectonic plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.

Front

What are convection currents?

Back

Convection currents are movements within the Earth's mantle that cause tectonic plates to move, often pulling them apart or pushing them together.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

A tectonic plate is a massive slab of solid rock that makes up the Earth's lithosphere and moves over the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

Subduction is the process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics, where new oceanic crust is created.

Front

What is a convergent boundary?

Back

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

Front

What is an earthquake?

Back

An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth's surface caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere.