Plate Tectonics
a subsea mountain range where new oceanic crust is created through seafloor spreading
Mid-Ocean-Ridge
a rotating, flattened disk of gas and dust that formed our solar system, including the Sun and its planets, about 4.6 billion years ago
Solar Nebula
the prevailing cosmological explanation for the origin of the universe
Big Bang Theory
a tectonic plate boundary where two plates move towards each other and collide
Convergent Boundary
The breaking down of an Object
Weathering
A River With Bends And Curves In It
Meander
the upper layer of the earth's mantle
Asthenosphere
the process where a gas directly transforms into a solid without first becoming a liquid, or the settling of particles or sediment onto a surface
Deposition
a geological feature where two tectonic plates move away from each other
Divergent Boundary
the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate.
Subduction
The Process Of Determining An Age On A Specified Chronology In Archaeology And Geology
Absolute Dating
the region of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere
Mesosphere
the process where the Earth's surface is worn away and transported by natural forces like wind, water, or ice
Erosion
a point where light rays, or other forms of electromagnetic radiation, converge after passing through a lens or reflecting off a curved surface like a mirror
Focus
the movement of Earth's continents relative to each other over geological timescales
Continental Drift
Relative Dating Is Used To Determine A Fossils Approximate Age By Comparing It To Similar Rocks And Fossils Of Known Ages
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle
Lithosphere
a pulling force transmitted along an object
Tension
a process or event that causes damage, harm, or injury to existing structures or landforms
Destructive Force
point on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the underground point (called the focus) where fault rupture commences, producing an earthquake
Epicenter
The Principle That Earth's Geological Processes, Such As Erosion, Volcanic Euptions, And Tectonic Plate Movement, Operate The Same Way Now As They Have In The Past
Uniformitarianism
compressional waves that move in a back and forth motion
Primary (P) Waves
seismic waves that travel slower than primary waves (P waves)
Secondary (S) Waves
any process or force that builds up or creates new landforms or adds to existing ones
Constructive Force