UNIT 11 VOCABULARY/PLATE TECTONICS
UNIT 11 VOCABULARY/PLATE TECTONICS
1) Tectonic Plates: Huge pieces of lithosphere that slowly move on the
asthenosphere and consist of the crust and the rigid, uppermost part of the mantle.
1) Tectonic Plates: Huge pieces of lithosphere that slowly move on the
asthenosphere and consist of the crust and the rigid, uppermost part of the mantle.
2) Volcanic Eruptions: Major geological events that occur when a dense plate
subducts below a less dense plate as they converge.
2) Volcanic Eruptions: Major geological events that occur when a dense plate
subducts below a less dense plate as they converge.
3) Subduction: Occurs when one plate is denser than another and is forced below
as the two plates converge at their boundary.
3) Subduction: Occurs when one plate is denser than another and is forced below
as the two plates converge at their boundary.
4) Earthquakes: Major geological events that occur when plates shift suddenly
and release stored energy; a frequent occurrence at transform boundaries.
4) Earthquakes: Major geological events that occur when plates shift suddenly
and release stored energy; a frequent occurrence at transform boundaries.
5) Mountain Building: Major geological event that occurs when continental plates
of equzl density converge.
5) Mountain Building: Major geological event that occurs when continental plates
of equzl density converge.
6) Ocean Basins: Movement of plates create dense oceanic crust that sinks lower
in the asthenosphere than the less dense continental crust, resulting in depressions
on Earth’s surface that fill with water.
6) Ocean Basins: Movement of plates create dense oceanic crust that sinks lower
in the asthenosphere than the less dense continental crust, resulting in depressions
on Earth’s surface that fill with water.
7) Plate Tectonics: Theory that describes and explains the way that the continents
separated into today’s land masses from one large ancestral land mass (Pangea)
and how they are continuing to move today.
7) Plate Tectonics: Theory that describes and explains the way that the continents
separated into today’s land masses from one large ancestral land mass (Pangea)
and how they are continuing to move today.
8) Convergent Boundary: Locations where lithospheric plates are moving towards
one another; can produce earthquakes, volcanic activity and mountain building
8) Convergent Boundary: Locations where lithospheric plates are moving towards
one another; can produce earthquakes, volcanic activity and mountain building
9) Divergent Boundary: Locations where plates are moving away from one
another; occurs above rising convection currents and causes rifts, volcanoes and
mid-ocean ridges
9) Divergent Boundary: Locations where plates are moving away from one
another; occurs above rising convection currents and causes rifts, volcanoes and
mid-ocean ridges
10) Transform Boundary: Locations where two plates slide past one another
causing earthquakes.
10) Transform Boundary: Locations where two plates slide past one another
causing earthquakes.
11) Oceanic Plate: Portion of Earth’s outer crust that lies beneath the oceans; thin
and dense.
11) Oceanic Plate: Portion of Earth’s outer crust that lies beneath the oceans; thin
and dense.
12) Continental Plate: Rocky material that makes up continents; less dense and
contains a greater amount of lighter-colored minerals than the oceanic crust.
12) Continental Plate: Rocky material that makes up continents; less dense and
contains a greater amount of lighter-colored minerals than the oceanic crust.
13) Seafloor Spreading: Ocean floor where plates have diverged.
13) Seafloor Spreading: Ocean floor where plates have diverged.
14) Geological: having to do with the study of the origin, history, structure and
composition of the Earth.
14) Geological: having to do with the study of the origin, history, structure and
composition of the Earth.