Plate Tectonic Flashcard Review

Front

What happens to an ocean if subduction occurs faster than oceanic crust can be created?

Back

The ocean gets smaller.

Front

According to Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift, what was the state of the continents in the past?

Back

The continents were once joined together in a single landmass.

Front

Which layer of the Earth do tectonic plates ride on?

Back

Tectonic plates ride on the asthenosphere.

Front

What landform results when continental plates pull apart at a divergent boundary on land?

Back

Rift valleys.

Front

What type of plate boundary typically causes an oceanic trench?

Back

Convergent boundary.

Front

What is the theory that explains the movement of Earth's plates?

Back

Plate tectonics.

Front

What are the three main types of plate boundaries?

Back

Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

Front

What geological feature is formed at a divergent boundary under the ocean?

Back

Mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

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

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

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