Plate Tectonics

Front

What are plate boundaries?

Back

Plate boundaries are the edges where two tectonic plates meet. They are significant because most earthquakes and volcanic activity occur along these boundaries.

Front

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

Back

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

Front

What is convection in the context of plate tectonics?

Back

Convection refers to the movement of molten rock in the mantle caused by heat from the Earth's core, which drives the movement of tectonic plates.

Front

What are ocean trenches?

Back

Ocean trenches are deep, narrow depressions in the ocean floor formed by the collision of two oceanic plates, where one plate is forced under another.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

Subduction is the process by which one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle, often creating ocean trenches and volcanic arcs.

Front

What is the outer core?

Back

The outer core is a layer of molten metal that surrounds the inner core of the Earth, contributing to the planet's magnetic field.

Front

What causes earthquakes?

Back

Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust due to the movement of tectonic plates along faults.

Front

What is continental drift?

Back

Continental drift is the hypothesis that continents have moved over geological time and were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea.

Front

What are fault zones?

Back

Fault zones are fractures in the Earth's crust where blocks of rock have moved past each other, often associated with earthquakes.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

A tectonic plate is a large, rigid slab of solid rock that makes up the Earth's lithosphere and moves over the semi-fluid asthenosphere.