Geologic Processes - Test Review

Front

What are volcanoes and how do they form?

Back

Volcanoes are openings in the Earth's surface where molten rock, ash, and gases escape. They form primarily at subduction zones where tectonic plates are pushed/pulled by convection currents in the mantle.

Front

What are convection currents in the mantle?

Back

Convection currents in the mantle are movements of hot rocks that expand and rise towards the crust, while cooler rocks sink towards the outer core, creating a cycle that drives plate tectonics.

Front

What is the outer core of the Earth?

Back

The outer core is a layer of the Earth made of liquid metal that rotates and generates Earth's magnetic field.

Front

At which plate boundary does new oceanic crust form?

Back

New oceanic crust forms at divergent boundaries where magma rises and cools to create new seafloor.

Front

What type of rock forms from lava or magma cooling and hardening?

Back

Igneous rock forms from the cooling and hardening of lava or magma.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

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

Front

What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rock?

Back

Intrusive igneous rock forms from magma that cools slowly beneath the Earth's surface, while extrusive igneous rock forms from lava that cools quickly on the surface.

Front

What is a subduction zone?

Back

A subduction zone is a region where one tectonic plate is being forced under another, often leading to volcanic activity.

Front

What is the mantle?

Back

The mantle is the thick layer of rock between the Earth's crust and outer core, composed of silicate minerals and involved in convection currents.

Front

What is the crust?

Back

The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth, consisting of solid rock and soil, where we live.