6.2 Natural Disasters Environmental Management

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Plate Tectonics

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The theory explaining the movement of the Earth's plates and the processes that occur at their boundaries.

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Asthenosphere

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A semi-fluid layer of the Earth beneath the lithosphere which allows for the movement of tectonic plates.

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Sima

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The lower layer of the Earth's crust, composed mainly of silicate minerals rich in magnesium.

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Sial

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The upper layer of the Earth's crust, composed mainly of silicate minerals rich in aluminum.

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Granite

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A coarse-grained igneous rock composed mainly of quartz, feldspar, and mica.

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Tectonic Plate

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A massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere.

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Convection Currents

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The flow of fluid in the mantle caused by the heat from the Earth's core, driving plate movements.

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Plate Boundary

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The region where two tectonic plates meet, which can be divergent, convergent, or transform.

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Ridge Push

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A tectonic process associated with the creation of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges.

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Sea-Floor Spreading

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The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and slowly moves away.