Earth’s Layers & Structure
The thinnest layer of the Earth.
What is the crust?
The name of the theory Alfred Wegener proposed.
What is the Theory of Continental Drift?
The type of plate boundary where two plates collide.
What is a convergent boundary?
The first type of seismic wave to arrive at a station.
What is a primary wave?
The law stating that older rock layers are found beneath younger layers.
What is the Law of Superposition?
The layer where convection currents occur.
What is the mantle?
The field of study Wegener studied that caused society to reject his theory of how plates move.
What is Meteorology?
The type of plate boundary where two plates move apart.
What is a divergent boundary?
The zone where one tectonic plate moves beneath another.
What is a subduction zone?
The current geologic era we live in.
What is the Cenozoic Era?
The layer of the Earth that is liquid and surrounds the inner core.
What is the outer core?
The modern theory that developed from Wegener’s idea.
What is the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
The type of plate boundary where plates slide past each other.
What is a transform boundary?
The point on Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s origin.
What is the epicenter?
The era during which Snowball Earth occurred.
What is the Precambrian Era?
The layer made of solid metal.
What is the inner core?
The key piece of evidence Wegener was missing.
What are convection currents?
The types of plate boundaries where earthquakes can occur.
What are all plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, and transform)?
The location where molten rock is stored before a volcanic eruption.
What is a magma chamber?
The law that states a rock that cuts across other rocks is younger than those rocks.
What is the Law of Crosscutting?
The difference between the asthenosphere and the lithosphere.
What is the asthenosphere is a soft, flowing layer, while the lithosphere is a rigid outer layer made of the crust and upper mantle?
The location where most earthquakes and volcanoes occur.
What is the Ring of Fire?
The process used to determine the location of an earthquake’s epicenter.
What is triangulation?
The type of volcano known for the most explosive eruptions.
What is a composite volcano?
The method scientists use to determine the exact age of rocks or fossils using radioactive decay.
What is absolute dating?