Plate Motion Unit Assessment

Front

What is plate tectonics?

Back

The theory that explains the movement of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other, causing geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Front

What is a cross section in geology?

Back

A vertical slice through the Earth that shows the different layers and structures beneath the surface.

Front

What is continental drift?

Back

The gradual movement of continents across the Earth's surface through geological time.

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the upper mantle.

Front

What is the asthenosphere?

Back

The semi-fluid layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows tectonic plates to move.

Front

What causes earthquakes?

Back

The sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust due to the movement of tectonic plates.

Front

What is a fault line?

Back

A fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock, which can lead to earthquakes.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another plate and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is a volcanic eruption?

Back

The release of magma, gas, and ash from a volcano, often caused by tectonic activity.