Forces and Earth's Structure

Front

Force

Back

A push or pull that can change an object's motion or shape.

Front

Unbalanced Forces

Back

When forces acting on an object are not equal, causing motion or structural change.

Front

Stress

Back

The force applied to a material, like rock in Earth's crust.

Front

Strain

Back

How much a material deforms when stress is applied.

Front

Fault

Back

A crack in Earth's crust where rocks move past each other.

Front

Plate Boundary

Back

The edges where two tectonic plates meet (divergent, convergent, or transform).

Front

Tectonic Plates

Back

Large slabs of Earth's crust and upper mantle that move on top of the softer asthenosphere.

Front

Convection

Back

Movement in a fluid caused by heating and cooling, driving plate motion.

Front

Radioactive Decay

Back

The breakdown of unstable atoms in Earth's interior, releasing heat energy.

Front

Seismic Waves

Back

Energy waves that travel through Earth during an earthquake.