MTTC Integrated Science - Earth & Space Sciences Correct 100%

Theory of Plate Tectonics - ANSWER A theory stating that Earth's lithosphere is broken into huge plates that move and change in size over time - explains the process of continental drift - theory is a fusion on the theories of continental drift and seafloor spreading - continents are not floating on the ocean, rather they are rooted What are the 10 major plates of the Earth's lithosphere? - ANSWER African, Antarctic, Australian, Eurasian, North American, South American, Pacific, Cocos, Nazca, and Indian. What are the two main sources of tectonic plate motion? - ANSWER gravity and friction What is the source of energy for tectonic plate motion? - ANSWER the dissipation of heat from the mantle in the (relatively weak) asthenosphere ridge push - ANSWER when the force of gravity moves a plate downward and away from a ridge slab pull - ANSWER a mechanism that contributes to plate motion in which cool, dense oceanic crust sinks into the mantle and "pulls" the trailing lithosphere along mantle drag - ANSWER plates move due to the friction between the lithosphere and the asthenosphere trench suction - ANSWER involves a downward frictional pull on oceanic plates in subduction zones due to convection currents convergent plate boundary - ANSWER when adjacent plates move toward one another and one plate slips underneath another. three types of formations can come of this 1) oceanic plate + oceanic plate = deep trench 2) continental plate + continental plate = mountain 3) continental plate + oceanic plate = ocean goes under continent, mountains on one side, oceanic trench on the other subduction zone - ANSWER the region where an oceanic plate sinks down into the asthenosphere at a convergent boundary, usually between continental and oceanic plates divergent plate boundary - ANSWER when two adjacent plates move away from one another. the lithosphere cracks, pushes molten magma through the cracks, the magma cools, and new crust is formed. two types: 1) ocean + ocean = oceanic ridge systems 2) continent + continent = rift valleys transform plate boundary - ANSWER When two plates slide past one another cause: earthquakes when they snap past one another also called "strike-slip faults" geologic fault - ANSWER a fracture in the earth's surface created by movement of the crust. most are found on tectonic plate boundaries. three types: 1) normal fault 2) reverse fault 3) strike-slip fault normal fault - ANSWER A type of fault where the hanging wall slides downward; caused by tension in the crust reverse fault - ANSWER a type of fault where the hanging wall slides upward; caused by compression in the crust. steep dip strike-slip fault - ANSWER a type of fault where rocks on either side move past each other sideways with little up or down motion Geologic folding - ANSWER a region of curved or deformed stratified rocks. rock strata are normally formed horizontally, so when they are found vertically formed, it is clear that geologic folding took place anticlines and synclines - ANSWER Anticlines are upward arching folds with older rocks near the core of the fold synclines are downward arching folds with younger rocks near the core of the fold Orogenesis - ANSWER The process of mountain building that occurs when large-scale compression leads to deformation and uplift of the crust; literally, the birth of mountains.