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Earth Science unit 4 plate tectonics

Terms in this set (37)

The solid, plastic layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere; made of mantle rock that flows very slowly, which allows tectonic plates to move on top of it
Asthenosphere
In geology, a seismic wave that travels through the body of a medium
body wave
The hypothesis that a single large landmass broke up into smaller landmasses to form the continents, which then drifted to their present locations; the movement of continents
continental drift
The boundary between tectonic plates that are colliding
convergent boundary
The boundary between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other
divergent boundary
A movement or trembling of the ground that is caused by a sudden release of energy when rocks along a fault move
earthquake
The sudden return of elastically deformed rock to its undeformed shape
elastic rebound
The point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's starting point (or focus)
epicenter
Describes magma or igneous rock that is rich in feldspars and silica and that is generally light in color
felsic
The location within Earth along a fault at which the first motion of an earthquake occurs.
focus
A volcanically active area of Earth's surface, commonly far from a tectonic plate boundary.
hot spot
In Earth Science, the amount of damage caused by an earthquake
intensity
Magma that flows onto Earth's surface.
lava
The solid, outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust and the rigid upper part of the mantle
lithosphere
Describes magma or igneous rock that is rich in magnesium and iron and is generally dark in color
mafic
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