Tectonic plates
What are the large pieces of the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle called?
Tectonic plates
What is an opening in Earth's surface where hot molten rock erupts?
A volcano
What is the point on the Earth's surface directly above where an earthquake starts called?
The epicenter
What is the difference between a rock and a mineral?
Rock is made up of one or more minerals.
What is the outermost layer of the Earth called?
Crust
What type of boundary occurs when plates slide past each other?
Transform boundary
What type of volcano is characterized by steep, cone-shaped formations?
A stratovolcano
What type of waves travel through the Earth's interior during an earthquake?
Body waves
Name one type of igneous rock formed underground.
Granite
Which layer of the Earth is mostly solid rock and the thickest?
Mantle
Which plate boundary is responsible for creating mountains?
Convergent boundary
What type of volcano is characterized by broad, gently sloping sides?
A shield volcano
What instrument is used to measure and record ground motions during an earthquake?
A seismograph
What type of rocks are formed from compressed sediments?
Sedimentary rocks
What are the two types of Earth's crust?
Continental and oceanic crust.
What is the process called when new crust is formed as magma rises?
Divergent boundary movement.
What is the term for the explosive power of a volcanic eruption?
Volcanic explosivity index (VEI)
What scale measures the energy released by an earthquake?
The Richter scale
What type of rocks are formed from existing rocks through heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rocks
What causes tectonic plates to move?
Convention currents in the mantle.
Name one major tectonic plate.
The Pacific plate....
What was the name of the volcano that destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD?
Mount Vesuvius
What type of boundary is most commonly associated with earthquakes?
Transform boundary
Name the rock that floats on water.
Pumice
What is the liquid layer of iron and nickel beneath the mantle called?
Outer core