Plate Tectonic Vocabulary

A theory stating that the earth's surface is broken into plates that move.

• plate tectonics

• Pangaea

• Magma

• Lava

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

• Lava

• Asthenosphere

• continental crust

• Lithosphere

The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.

• lava

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• magma

What are the two types of crust?

• oceanic crust and continental crust

• oceanic crust and mantle

• crust and inner core

• inner core and outer core

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

earths crust located under the ocean

• lower mantle

• upper mantle

• continental crust

• oceanic crust

The region where oceanic plates sink down into the asthenosphere.

• inner core

• subduction zone

• divergent boundary

• mid-ocean ridge

The theory that the crust is divided into large pieces called tectonic plates that slowly move on top of the mantle

• seafloor spreading

• continental drift

• tectonic plate

• plate tectonics

Huge piece of crust that slowly moves on the upper, ductile (able to be molded, like plastic) part of the mantle

• pangea

• continental drift

• tectonic plate

• plate tectonics

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Tectonic plates are always moving. Tectonic plate _______ are places where the edges of two or more plates interact.

• boundaries

• fossils

• countries

• rivers

Molten rock below the surface of the Earth

• magma

• mantle

• lava

• crust

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1