What is the thinnest layer of the earth?
the crust
Which is more dense, continental crust or oceanic crust?
oceanic crust
true or false, all tectonic plates are the same size
false
why is it called the ring of fire?
there are lots of active volcanoes and seismic activity
what kind of plate boundary is along the western edge of South America?
A Convergent Boundary
what are the 4 layers of the earth in order from top to bottom?
crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
which is thicker, continental crust or oceanic crust?
continental crust
what was the original supercontinent of all the landmasses together called?
Pangea
What is the difference between magma and lava?
magma is inside the earth, lava is after it errupts
what is the pit underwater called where one plate sinks below another and lots of earthquakes originate
a trench
which layer of the earth is made of liquid metal
the outer core
Where is oceanic crust the youngest?
along the mid-ocean ridge
What is the power source that moves the tectonic plates?
Convection currents in the mantle
What plate's border is called the ring of fire?
the pacific plate
what kind of plate boundary is there along the Atlantic midocean ridge?
a divergent boundary
what does "litho-" in lithosphere mean?
rock
the lithosphere is the crust and top part of the mantle
What type of igneous rock makes up most of the oceanic crust?
Basalt
What are two pieces of evidence that support the theory of plate tectonics?
shape of continents
fossil and mineral records
mountain ranges
Glacier Evidence
tropical remains in non tropical areas
North Pole magnetic alignment
What is it called when you get places like Hawaii with volcanoes not on a plate boundary?
a Hot Spot
what type of plate boundary is there in California along the San Andreas fault?
transform plate boundary
what is the density of the inner core?
12.8-13.1 g/cm3
when continental crust crashes into oceanic crust, which one ends up on top?
continental crust (it is less dense)
what geological land feature is made when two pieces of continental crust hit each other? (hint find it on page 5
mountains
What happens when an earthquake occurs underwater?
it causes a tsunami
what is the name of the process of one plate sinking underneath another and breaking apart in the mantle
subduction