Earth's Interior Structure Flashcard

Front

What is a transform plate boundary?

Back

A transform plate boundary is a type of plate boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This movement can cause earthquakes.

Front

What is a convergent plate boundary?

Back

A convergent plate boundary is where two tectonic plates move towards each other, often resulting in one plate being forced beneath the other, leading to subduction.

Front

What is a divergent plate boundary?

Back

A divergent plate boundary is where two tectonic plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise and create new crust, often forming mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What is the primary composition of the Earth's inner core?

Back

The Earth's inner core is primarily composed of solid iron and nickel.

Front

What is the primary composition of the Earth's outer core?

Back

The Earth's outer core is primarily composed of liquid iron and nickel.

Front

What is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?

Back

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an underwater mountain range that runs down the center of the Atlantic Ocean, formed by divergent tectonic plates.

Front

What is the Peru-Chile Trench?

Back

The Peru-Chile Trench, also known as the Atacama Trench, is a deep oceanic trench located off the coast of South America, formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate.

Front

What is the significance of the San Andreas Fault?

Back

The San Andreas Fault is a major transform fault in California that marks the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, known for its seismic activity.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Tectonic plates are large, rigid pieces of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries, causing geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

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