Geological Processes and Plate Tectonics

Asthenosphere

• The rigid outer layer of the Earth that includes the crust and upper mantle.

• The hot, flowing layer of rock beneath the lithosphere that is more fluid and flexible, allowing tectonic plates to move and slide around.

• The solid inner core of the Earth that is primarily composed of iron and nickel.

• The layer of the Earth that is responsible for volcanic activity and earthquakes.

Ring of Fire

• A zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions around the Pacific Ocean, formed by many plate boundaries surrounding the Pacific Plate and containing about 75% of the world's active volcanoes.

• A region in the Atlantic Ocean known for its calm waters and lack of seismic activity.

• An area in the Arctic Circle where volcanic activity is minimal and earthquakes are rare.

• A volcanic region located in the Mediterranean Sea, known for its historical eruptions.

Convergent Boundaries

• Plate boundaries where two plates move apart, creating new crust.

• Plate boundaries where two plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes.

• Plate boundaries where two plates move toward each other and collide, creating mountains, deep ocean trenches, and volcanoes.

• Plate boundaries where two plates are stationary and do not interact.

Lithosphere

• Earth's rigid outer layer that includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle, forming a solid shell that 'floats' on the more fluid layer below.

• The layer of the Earth that is primarily composed of liquid magma and is responsible for volcanic activity.

• The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth, which is essential for life and weather patterns.

• The inner core of the Earth, which is composed of solid iron and nickel.

Fault Lines

• Cracks or breaks in Earth's crust where rocks have moved past each other, forming along plate boundaries and causing earthquakes when movement occurs.

• Solid structures in the Earth's crust that prevent movement of tectonic plates.

• Areas where volcanic activity is most prevalent due to magma flow.

• Regions of the Earth where no geological activity occurs.

Pangaea

• A supercontinent that existed about 300 million years ago when all of today's continents were joined together in one giant landmass before breaking apart due to plate tectonics.

• A type of dinosaur that roamed the Earth during the Jurassic period.

• A large ocean that covered the Earth before the continents formed.

• A mountain range that was formed by the collision of tectonic plates.

Continental Drift

• The theory that continents slowly move across Earth's surface over time, proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 1900s and now explained by plate tectonics.

• A concept that suggests continents are fixed and do not move over time.

• A hypothesis that all continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea.

• A theory that explains the formation of mountains due to volcanic activity.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

• An underwater mountain chain formed at divergent plate boundaries where new ocean floor is created through seafloor spreading.

• A volcanic island formed by the eruption of magma from the ocean floor.

• A deep-sea trench formed at convergent plate boundaries.

• A flat plain on the ocean floor where sediment accumulates.

Seismograph

• An instrument that detects and records earthquake waves, helping scientists locate earthquakes, measure their strength, and study plate movement and boundary locations.

• A device used to measure atmospheric pressure and predict weather changes.

• A tool for measuring the intensity of sound waves in the environment.

• An apparatus that records the movement of celestial bodies in the sky.

Rift Valley

• A long, narrow valley formed where continental plates pull apart at divergent boundaries on land.

• A wide, flat area formed by the collision of tectonic plates.

• A circular depression formed by volcanic activity.

• A steep-sided valley formed by glacial erosion.