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Earth's Structure Ch 3
Interactive Science Series
14
Science
6th Grade
04/28/2016

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Term
continental drift
Definition
Wegener's idea that the continents slowly moved over Earth's surface
Term
Pangaea
Definition
a supercontinent, or single landmass, that joined together about 300 million years ago, according to Alfred Wegener
Term
fossil
Definition
any trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock
Term
mid-ocean ridges
Definition
form long chains of mountains that rise up from the ocean floor
Term
sea-floor spreading
Definition
adds more crust to the ocean floor; at the same time, older strips of rock move outward from either side of the ridge
Term
deep-ocean trenches
Definition
the ocean floor plunging into deep, underwater canyon; this crust goes back into the mantle
Term
subduction
Definition
the process by which the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep-ocean trench and back into the mantle again
Term
plates
Definition
a section of the lithosphere that slowly moves over the asthenosphere, carrying pieces of continental or oceanic crust
Term
divergent boundary
Definition
plates moving apart from each other
Term
convergent boundary
Definition
plates moving towards each other
Term
transform boundary
Definition
plates slip past each other
Term
plate tectonics
Definition
the theory that states Earth's plates are in slow, constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle
Term
fault
Definition
breaks in Earth's crust where rocks have slipped past each other; they form along plate boundaries
Term
rift valley
Definition
a deep valley that forms where pieces of Earth's crust diverge on land
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