Unit 3: Earth's Changing Landscape Vocabulary

Unit 3: Earth's Changing Landscape Vocabulary

Core

The innermost area of Earth's interior.

Crust

The thin outermost layer of the Earth.

Lithosphere

The rigid upper portion of the Earth that is broken into plates. It includes the crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle.

Magma

Molten rock found beneath Earth's surface.

Mantle

The layer of the Earth between the outer crust and inner core.

Theory

A logically consistent explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is supported by a large body of science.

lava

molten rock found on top of the Earth's surface

active volcano

a volcano that is currently erupting, showing signs that it is likely to erupt in the near future, or has erupted in recorded history

dormant volcano

a volcano that has not erupted for at least 10,000 years, but that scientists think may erupt again

extinct volcano

a volcano that scientists do not expect to erupt ever again

plates

a large section of the Earth's surface

plate tectonics

the theory that the rigid outer portion of the Earth is broken into large separate sections, called tectonic plates, each moving at a specific speed in a specific direction

transform boundary

a boundary between tectonic plates that are sliding next to each other

convection current

a flow of material (such as magma in the Earth's mantle) caused by a difference in temperature

Richter Scale

a scale used to quantitatively rate the magnitude of an earthquake

seismogram

the information recorded by a seismograph, which collects data on the strength of an earthquake

subduction zone

an area where one tectonice plate is being forced downward toward the Earth's interior

Pangea

a single landmass, or supercontinent, that existed from about 350 million to 200 million years ago and was seperated by plate tectonics, forming the current continents

continental drift

a theory that the continents were attached together in the past, and have been drifiting apart ever since

paleontologist

a scientist who uses fossil evidence to study life in prehistoric times

convergent boundary

a boundary between tectonic plates that are moving toward each other

divergent boundary

a boundary between tectonic plates that are moving away from each other

sedimentary rock

rock that has been formed by the compacting and cementation of sediment material

metamorphic rock

rock that is created from intense heat and pressure deep inside Earth

igneous rock

rock that is created from the cooling of molten rock (lava)