asthenosphere

A plastic, or flowing, layer within Earth's

mantle, weak layer that is a semi-solid
and has plasticity.
Continental Crust
The portion of the earth's crust that
primarily contains granite, is less dense
than oceanic crust, and is 20-50 km thick
convergent plate boundary
A plate boundary where two plates collide
with each other, forming mountains,
trenches, earthquakes, and volcanoes
crust Earth's outermost layer.
divergent plate boundary
where two plates are moving apart, magma comes
up to create new crust, A plate boundary where
two plates move away from each other
earthquake
Shaking and vibration at the surface of the
earth resulting from underground movement
along a fault plane of from volcanic activity
Geologist
a scientist who studies the forces
that make and shape planet earth
inner core
A dense sphere of solid iron
and nickel at the center of Earth
Lava
Liquid magma that reaches the surface;
also the rock formed when liquid lava
hardens.
law
A summary of many experimental results
and observations; tells how things work
Lithospere
The top most solid part of the Earth
which is composed of the crust and some
Mantle
lithosphere
Earth's crust and solid upper
mantle, broken into tectonic plates.
Magma
A molten mixture of rock-forming
substances, gases, and water from the
mantle
mantle
Begins about 6 miles under the ocean's
crust and 19 miles below the continent's
crust
Oceanic crust
the portion of Earth's crust that is usually below the
oceans and not associated with continental areas,
thinner and higher in density that continental crust
and basaltic rather than granitic in composition
Outer Core
A layer of molten iron and nickel that
surrounds the inner core of Earth
plate boundary Where two tectonic plates
meet
Plate Tectonic Theory
The scientific theory that the surface of
the Earth is broken up into plates that are
in constant motion
ring of fire A major belt of volcanoes that
rims the Pacific Ocean
scientific fact
an observation that has been confirmed
repeatedly and is accepted as true
(although its truth is never final)
subduction
Process in which one plate moves under
another plate, and into the mantle. Takes
place at a convergent boundary.
tectonics The theory that the Earth's
crust is made of moving plates
theory
A hypothesis that has been tested
with a significant amount of data
transform plate boundary
Lithospheric plates move side-by-side,
horizontally past each other. No volcanic
activity, but generates huge earthquakes.
volcano
A weak spot in the crust where
magma has come to the surface.