Geological -Layers of Earth Terms

Front

fault

Back

a long break in a body of rock or the Earth's crust. Usually, rocks are displaced on either side of the break.

Front

molten

Back

liquefied by heat, especially metal or glass

Front

lithosphere

Back

the layer of rock that makes up the outer part of the Earth, including the crust and upper mantle

Front

continental drift

Back

the gradual movement of the continents across the Earth over time.

Front

core

Back

The central part of a planet, especially the inner part of the Earth. It usually has different physical properties from the surrounding layers.

Front

asthenosphere

Back

A thin layer of the Earth, about 150 miles thick, between the mantle and the crust. It is very hot and nearly a liquid.

Front

mantle

Back

the layer of Earth between the crust and the core

Front

convection

Back

Intense heat causes the rocks in the mantle to rise and fall.

Front

crust

Back

The rocky outer layer of a planet or a moon; the layer of the Earth above the mantle, the outermost layer.

Front

tectonic plates

Back

Any of several large, separately moving sections of the Earth’s surface that glide over the mantle. When they collide, they cause phenomena such as volcanoes and earthquakes.