Unit 5 Vocab

Front

What is the term for plate boundaries where the plates are moving away from each other?

Back

Divergent Boundary

Front

What do we call plate boundaries where the plates are moving toward each other?

Back

Convergent Boundary

Front

What is the hypothesis that the Earth’s continents were once one large landmass and have moved over geologic time?

Back

Continental Drift Theory

Front

What is the term for the impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in rock?

Back

Fossil

Front

What is the concept that describes Earth's surface being broken into large pieces called plates that are constantly moving?

Back

Plate Tectonics

Front

What geological feature is formed at a divergent boundary?

Back

Mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.

Front

What geological feature is typically formed at a convergent boundary?

Back

Mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, and volcanic arcs.

Front

What is the significance of the theory of plate tectonics in understanding Earth's geological processes?

Back

It explains the movement of Earth's plates and the resulting geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain building.

Front

What evidence supports the Continental Drift Theory?

Back

Fossil distribution, geological similarities across continents, and the fit of continental coastlines.

Front

What is the process called when one tectonic plate is forced under another?

Back

Subduction.