Tectonic Plates Vocab Crossword

A deep valley at a point where lithospheric plates are moving apart, such as at a mid-ocean ridge.
A long chain of mountains with a central rift valley that is located along a divergent boundary on the ocean floor.
The theory that the lithosphere is made of plates that move and interact with each other at their boundaries.
A hypothesis that earths continents move on earth’s surface.
An opening in Earth’s crust through that molten rock, gases, and ash erupts; also the landform that develops around this opening.
The partially melted layer of the mantle that underlies the lithosphere.
The outer shell of the Earth consisting of the crust and uppermost portion of the mantle.
The point at which the first movement occurs during an earthquake.
The point on Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
The shaking of Earth’s crust caused by a release of energy.
The wide area around Earth on the side opposite an earthquake’s focus where neither P waves nor S waves are received.
The name of a supercontinent that is thought to have existed over 750 million years ago.
The name of a hypothetical landmass consisting of all the continents welded together which evidence indicates existed about 250 million years ago.
The process by which heat from Earth’s inner and outer cores is transferred through the mantle.
The layer of Earth’s interior located between the inner core and mantle, composed of iron and nickel in a liquid state.
The solid innermost layer of Earth, composed of iron and nickel under extremely high pressure and temperature.
The thickest of Earth’s layers, located between the outer core and Earth’s crust, composed mostly of compounds rich in iron, silicon, and magnesium.
The very thin outer layer of Earth above the mantle, composed of a rigid layer of lighter rocks that can extend 65 kilometers at its deepest point.
A boundary between two lithospheric plates that are moving apart.
A boundary between two plates that are moving toward each other, or converging.
A boundary between two plates that are sliding past each other.
Body waves that squeeze and stretch rock materials as they pass through Earth; also known as compressional waves or primary waves.
Body waves that cause particles of rock material to move at right angles to the direction in which the waves are traveling also known as shear waves or secondary waves.
A convergent boundary where two continents have come together and are welded into a single, larger continent.
A seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake.