Plate Tectonics Review

Front

What is a subduction zone?

Back

A subduction zone is a region where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another into the mantle, leading to the recycling of the Earth's crust.

Front

What are ocean trenches?

Back

Ocean trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean, formed by the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.

Front

What is a convergent boundary?

Back

A convergent boundary is a tectonic plate boundary where two plates collide, often creating mountain ranges or causing one plate to subduct beneath the other.

Front

What is sea-floor spreading?

Back

Sea-floor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges as tectonic plates move apart.

Front

What is a divergent boundary?

Back

A divergent boundary is a tectonic plate boundary where two plates move away from each other, leading to the formation of new crust.

Front

What is the Pacific mid-ocean ridge?

Back

The Pacific mid-ocean ridge is a continuous mountain range located in the Pacific Ocean, where sea-floor spreading occurs.

Front

What is the significance of mid-ocean ridges?

Back

Mid-ocean ridges are significant because they are the sites of sea-floor spreading, where new oceanic crust is formed.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other, causing geological activity.

Front

What is a transform boundary?

Back

A transform boundary is a tectonic plate boundary where two plates slide past each other horizontally, causing earthquakes.

Front

What is the role of ocean trenches in plate tectonics?

Back

Ocean trenches play a crucial role in plate tectonics by being the sites where oceanic plates are subducted back into the mantle.