the theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the
mantle to one another.
Layers of the Earth
Core - the inner layer of very hot metals; Mantle - middle layer where convection
happens that causes the movement of the tectonic plates; Crust - the top layer of
Earth broken into pieces called "plates" that move around.
Subduction
A geological process occurs at convergent boundaries of tectonic plates where one
plate moves under another and is forced or sinks due to gravity into the mantle.
Theory of Continental Drift
Alfred Wegener proposed this theory that Earth's continents used to be one big
supercontinent, Pangea, and over time they drifted apart. His evidence was he
found coastline similarities, fossils, and rock patterns on separate continents that
matched.
Mid Ocean Ridge
A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain system formed by plate tectonics.
Seamount
A mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface
(sea level), and thus is not an island.
Oceanic crust
This type of crust is thinner and formed more recently, but is denser. It is made
, mainly of basalt.
Continental crust
This crust is thicker and older but lighter, and made mainly of granite.
Divergent plate boundary
A tectonic boundary is where two plates are moving away from each other and new
crust is forming from magma that rises to the Earth's surface between the two
plates.
Convergent plate boundary
A tectonic boundary is where two plates are moving toward each other. If the two
plates are of equal density, they usually push up against each other,forming a
mountain chain. If they are of unequal density, one plate usually sinks beneath the
other in a subduction zone.
Inside out model
Model that explains how the Earth's oceans were formed stating that volcanoes
spewed gases and water vapor into the atmosphere. This water came from the
mantle, which still contains a lot of water.
Outside In Model
Model that explains how the Earth's oceans were formed stating that meteorites and
comets from outer space containing water collided with earth
Biodiversity
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