Plate Tectonics

Front

What is the theory of continental drift?

Back

The theory states that the continents were once joined in a super-continent and have moved over time.

Front

What causes the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

The movement of tectonic plates is caused by convection currents in the Asthenosphere.

Front

What do most geologists believe is the primary cause of Earth's plate movement?

Back

Most geologists think that the movement of Earth’s plates is caused by convection.

Front

What happens at a subduction zone?

Back

The denser oceanic crust is subducting under the less dense oceanic crust.

Front

What evidence supported Wegener’s proposal of a supercontinent?

Back

Wegener’s proposal was supported by rock, fossil, and climate data.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

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

Front

What is the Asthenosphere?

Back

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

Front

What is subduction?

Back

Subduction is the process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is seafloor spreading?

Back

Seafloor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away.

Front

What are the three types of plate boundaries?

Back

The three types of plate boundaries are convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.