What is the name of the THEORY that all of Earth's continents were once joined together in one super continent?
The Continental Drift Theory
What is the scientific term for Earth's crust?
Tectonic Plates or Lithosphere.
What are the three types of tectonic plate boundaries?
Convergent, Divergent and Transform
What is formed when two continental crusts converge?
Mountains
What is a scientist who studies Earth’s crust as well as the processes and history that shaped it called?
Geologist
What was the name of Earth's super continent?
Panagea
What is the name of Harry Hess's THEORY that hot magma rising in the mantle was causing the large pieces of Earth's crust (tectonic plates) to move.
The Theory of Seafloor Spreading
What is the name of the plate boundary where two plates divide or move apart?
Divergent
What is formed when a continental crust and an ocean crust converge?
A volcano (ocean trench, subduction zone)
What is the study of the layers (or strata) of Earth's rock called?
Stratigraphy
WHO is responsible for the theory of Continental Drift?
Alfred Wegener
What is the engine or force that moves tectonic plates?
Convection currents (in earth's mantle)
What is the name of the plate boundary where two plates slide past each other?
Transform
What is formed when two ocean crusts converge?
A volcanic arc of islands (subduction)
The idea the newest rock layers are on top of the older ones, unless some type of disturbance occurs is called?
The Law of Superpostion
What was one type of EVIDENCE for Continental Drift that came from once living organisms?
Matching fossils (on continents oceans apart)
What are the names of Earth's two kinds of crust?
Continental Crust and Oceanic Crust
What is the name of the plate boundary where two plates collide or come together?
Convergent
What is created when two plates diverge?
Mid-ocean ridge (which is mountains under the ocean) or Seafloor spreading
What do the following characteristics identify?
*Easily recognizable
*Abundant (LOTS of them)
*Wide geographic distribution
*Lived a short time
A good INDEX FOSSIL
What was one type of EVIDENCE for Continental Drift theory that has to do with geology or landforms?
Matching rock types (on continents oceans apart)
OR
Glacial striations (on continents oceans apart)
Which type of Earth's crust is most dense?
Oceanic crust
What is it called when an ocean crust goes beneath a continental crust?
Subduction
What happens when two plates transform or slide past one another?
Earthquake
Which fossil would make the best index fossil, and why?
FOSSIL A
It lived only a SHORT TIME and is ABUNDANT, meaning there were LOTS of them during that time period and in that layer of rock ONLY!