Plate Tectonics Vocabulary

This type of crust is thick, less dense, and made mostly of granite.

• continental crust

• oceanic crust

• convergent boundary

• divergent boundary

This type of crust is dense, thin, and made of basalt.

• continental crust

• oceanic crust

• convergent boundary

• divergent boundary

This landform is created when an oceanic plate slides underneath a continental plate.

• mountain

• trench

• ridge

• magma

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

This landform is created when two continental plates collide.

• mountain

• trench

• ridge

• lava

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

When oceanic lithosphere descends into the asthenosphere and creates trenches

• subduction

• divergent boundary

• seafloor spreading

• continental rifting

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The formation of new areas of oceanic crust.

• subduction

• seafloor spreading

• convergent boundary

• transform boundary

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Hot, molten rock beneath the earth’s crust.

• lithosphere

• magma

• lava

• ridge

Located in the upper mantle and crust.It is a strong rigid layer composed of cool rocks.

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• magma

• core

Located within the upper mantle. Made up of hot, rocky material and has slow movement.

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• core

• continental crust

When two plates grind past each other.

• transform boundary

• convergent boundary

• divergent boundary

• lithosphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3