Dynamic Earth 1: Moving Continents

Front

What is the thin, solid, outermost layer of Earth called?

Back

Crust - it can be either continental (landmasses) or oceanic (ocean floors).

Front

What theory explains that continents were once connected but have drifted apart?

Back

Continental Drift - the theory that continents have moved over geological time.

Front

What are the mineralized remains of organisms that show how long-dead organisms lived?

Back

Fossils - they provide evidence of past life and how organisms were structured.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What is the solid layer of Earth between the crust and the core called?

Back

Mantle - made of dense silicates, where convection currents occur.

Front

What theory states that the Earth's crust is divided into large pieces called tectonic plates?

Back

Plate Tectonics - the theory that explains the movement of the Earth's plates.

Front

What is the process called when tectonic plates move apart, creating new oceanic crust?

Back

Seafloor Spreading - a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is the name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago?

Back

Pangea - a massive landmass that included all of Earth's continents.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large pieces of the Earth's crust that float on the semi-fluid mantle.

Front

What natural phenomenon can occur due to the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

Earthquake - a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the release of energy in the Earth's crust.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Front

What is the term for the movement of the Earth's plates?

Back

Plate Movement - the shifting of tectonic plates due to convection currents in the mantle.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3