Plate Tectonics Vocab Flashcards

Front

Crust

Back

The outermost layer of the Earth, composed of rock.

Front

Mantle

Back

The layer of the Earth between the crust and the core, made of semi-solid rock that moves slowly.

Front

Outer Core

Back

A layer of molten metal, mainly iron and nickel, that surrounds the inner core of the Earth.

Front

Inner Core

Back

The solid, dense center of the Earth, composed primarily of iron and nickel.

Front

Lithosphere

Back

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

Front

Tectonic Plate

Back

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

Front

Convergent Boundary

Back

A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving toward each other, often causing one plate to slide beneath the other.

Front

Divergent Boundary

Back

A tectonic boundary where two plates are moving away from each other, allowing magma to rise and create new crust.

Front

Transform Boundary

Back

A tectonic boundary where two plates slide past one another horizontally.