Plates Tectonics Review

Front

What happens to the age of seafloor sediments as you move away from the ocean ridge?

Back

The age of seafloor sediments increases.

Front

Are tectonic plates constantly moving?

Back

True

Front

What is the driving force behind the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

Mantle convection currents.

Front

Why does magma under a hotspot melt Earth's crust?

Back

It is hotter than the surrounding magma.

Front

What happens at a subduction zone?

Back

The denser oceanic crust is subducting under the less dense oceanic crust.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other.

Front

What is mantle convection?

Back

The process by which heat from the Earth's interior causes the mantle to flow, driving plate tectonics.

Front

What is a hotspot?

Back

An area in the mantle where heat rises and can create volcanic activity.

Front

What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?

Back

Oceanic crust is denser and thinner than continental crust.

Front

What is a divergent boundary?

Back

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates move away from each other.