Plate Tectonics
convergent, divergent and transform
3 types of plate boundaries
Island arc
A string of islands formed by the volcanoes along a deep ocean trench
hot spot
An area where magma from deep within the mantle melts through the crust above it
1 to 6 inches per year
Around how far does a typical tectonic plate move in a year
Convergent boundaries
At what type of plate boundary do mountains and volcanoes often form?
Aluminum
Continental plates are made of of a material called 'sial' that is mostly silicon and what other element?
Alfred Wegener
Created the theory of continental drift
3
How many main types of boundaries are there?
7
How many tectonic plates do scientists categorize as 'major' plates?
magma
Molten rock beneath the earth's surface
Magnesium
Oceanic plates are made up of a material called 'sima' that is mostly silicon and what element?
San Andreas Fault in California
One famous transform boundary. Cause of so many earthquakes
subduction
One plate going under another plate
active volcano
One that is erupting or shows signs that it may erupt in the near future.
ridge push
Rising mantle material at mid-ocean ridges creates the potential for plates to move away from the ridge with a force
Pangaea
Supercontinent or large, ancient landmass that was composed of all the continents joined together
62
Tectonic plates are around how many miles thick?
Mariana Trench
The location of the deepest trench on earth made from two oceanic crusts converging. DEEPEST PART OF THE OCEAN
Oceanic and continental
The two main types of tectonic plates
Himalayan Mountains and Mount Everest
Were formed by the convergent boundary of the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate
active, dormant, extinct
What are the three stages of volcanic activity?
Divergent boundaries
What type of plate boundary is new land formed when magma pushes up from the mantle and cools?
Transform boundaries
a boundary where two plates slide past one another creating a fault without creating or destroying lithosphere
volcano
a mountain that forms in Earth's crust when molten material, or magma, reaches the surface
Convergent boundaries
a plate boundary at which plates come together or are pushed together
Continental Drift
a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth's surface.
slab pull
as a slab sinks, it pulls on the rest of the plate with a force
extinct volcano
dead volcano that is unlikely to erupt again
dormant volcano
inactive, sleeping
GPS
scientists are able to track the movement of tectonic plates using this?
Divergent boundaries
tectonic plates spreading apart, new crust being formed (ex. mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys).
ring of fire
the chain of volcanoes that lines the Pacific Rim
convection
the circulation of material caused by differences in temperature and density
pyroclastic flow
the flow of ash, cinders, bombs, and gases down the side of a volcano during an explosive eruption
Lithisphere
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. Also, the portion of the Earth that moves in tectonic plates.
