Geology Review

outermost layer of Earth; thinnest layer

layer of Earth between the crust and core; thickest layer, partially molten (liquid)

composed of the crust and upper part of mantle; broken into tectonic plates

layer directly below the lithosphere; partially molten (liquid), allowing convection currents to move the tectonic plates

the breaking down of rock into smaller pieces, called sediment, by water, ice, or wind; can create/change geologic formations

the movement of sediment by gravity, ice, water, or wind; removes pieces of Earth from one place and builds land in another

broken pieces of lithosphere; movement caused by convection currents in the asthenosphere

Alfred Wegener's theory that the landmasses of Earth once fit together to form a single landmass called "Pangaea" and the landmasses have since drifted to where they are today

location where tectonic plates meet; site of geologic activity caused by moving plates

occur where plates come together; forms mountains, trenches, volcanoes (MTV)

location where one plate moves under another plate due to the difference in plate density; a deep ocean trench is formed

occur where plates move away from each other; forms a rift valley on continental crust or a mid-ocean ridge in oceanic crust (R/R)

occur where two plates slide past each other; causes earthquakes

show elevation of land with contour lines; closer lines mean steeper slopes; widely spaced lines mean flatter land

example of a convergent (continental-continental) plate boundary