Geological Concepts and Terms

Convergent Boundary

• A place where two tectonic plates move towards each other.

• A location where tectonic plates move apart.

• An area where tectonic plates slide past each other.

• A region where tectonic plates remain stationary.

Seafloor Spreading

• New ocean crust forms as magma rises at mid-ocean ridges and spreads outward.

• Ocean crust is formed by the collision of tectonic plates.

• Seafloor spreading occurs only at continental margins.

• Magma cools and solidifies to form land masses.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

• A type of underwater volcano

• An underwater mountain range formed by plates moving apart.

• A deep-sea trench

• A coral reef system

Ocean Trench

• A deep valley in the ocean floor formed where one plate is subducted under another.

• A shallow area of the ocean where sunlight penetrates and supports marine life.

• A region of the ocean characterized by high temperatures and volcanic activity.

• A large body of saltwater that is smaller than an ocean.

Asthenosphere

• The rigid outer layer of the Earth.

• The softer, semi-solid layer of the mantle that tectonic plates float on.

• The layer of the Earth where earthquakes originate.

• The innermost layer of the Earth composed of solid iron and nickel.

Convection Currents

• Circular movements of heated material in the mantle that cause tectonic plates to move.

• Static movements of cold material in the crust that stabilize tectonic plates.

• Random movements of gases in the atmosphere that affect weather patterns.

• Linear movements of solid rocks in the lithosphere that create mountains.

Lithosphere

• The rigid outer part of Earth, made of the crust and upper mantle.

• The layer of Earth that is liquid and flows beneath the crust.

• The innermost layer of Earth, composed mainly of iron and nickel.

• The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth.

Lava

• Magma that has erupted onto the Earth's surface.

• Magma that is still beneath the Earth's surface.

• A type of rock formed from cooled lava.

• A volcanic gas released during an eruption.

Volcano

• An opening in the Earth's crust where magma, ash, and gases escape.

• A mountain that is always covered in snow.

• A type of rock formed from cooled lava.

• A large body of water surrounded by land.

Plate Tectonics

• The scientific theory explaining the movement of Earth's plates and associated geological activity.

• A method for measuring the age of rocks.

• A type of rock formation found in mountain ranges.

• A process that describes the water cycle on Earth.