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Questions and Answers
What is a rift valley?
What is a rift valley?
What is the Earth's inner core primarily made of?
What is the Earth's inner core primarily made of?
Iron-nickel alloy and some light elements
What lies between the Earth's core and crust?
What lies between the Earth's core and crust?
Mantle
What is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet called?
What is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet called?
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What defines the lithosphere?
What defines the lithosphere?
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What is the asthenosphere?
What is the asthenosphere?
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Convergent means two things going in different directions.
Convergent means two things going in different directions.
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Divergent means going towards each other.
Divergent means going towards each other.
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What does it mean to transform?
What does it mean to transform?
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What is subduction?
What is subduction?
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What is a tectonic plate?
What is a tectonic plate?
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What was continental drift?
What was continental drift?
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What is Pangaea?
What is Pangaea?
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Study Notes
Rift Valley
- Linear lowland between highlands or mountain ranges.
- Created by geological rifting or fault action at divergent plate boundaries.
- Formed through crustal extension leading to the drop of a center block, resulting in steep walls.
- Evolves into wider valleys and basins filled with sediment over time.
- Example: East African Rift.
Inner Core
- Earth's innermost part, primarily a solid ball.
- Approximately 1,220 km (760 miles) in radius.
- Composed mainly of an iron-nickel alloy with some lighter elements.
Mantle
- Layer between the core and crust in terrestrial planets.
- Formed through planetary differentiation by density.
- Composed of silicate rock in Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury, as well as some of Jupiter's moons.
- Other celestial bodies like Titan and Triton may have a mantle of ice or solid volatiles.
Crust
- Outermost solid shell of rocky bodies, distinct from the mantle.
- Formed primarily through igneous processes.
- Rich in incompatible elements compared to underlying mantles.
Lithosphere
- Rigid outer shell of a terrestrial planet, including crust and elastic upper mantle.
- Defined by mechanical properties rather than chemical composition.
Asthenosphere
- Layer of Earth’s mantle beneath the lithosphere.
- Much hotter and more fluid, extending from 100 km (60 miles) to about 700 km (450 miles) below the surface.
Convergent
- Describes two entities moving towards one another.
Divergent
- Describes entities moving in different directions.
Transform
- Refers to undergoing a dramatic change or transformation.
Subduction
- Horizontal and downward movement of an edge of a tectonic plate into the mantle beneath another plate.
Tectonic Plate
- Large, irregularly shaped slabs of solid rock, including both continental and oceanic lithosphere.
- Sizes vary significantly; large examples include the Pacific and Antarctic Plates.
Continental Drift
- Theory postulated by Alfred Wegener in 1912 explaining the movement of continents.
- Accounts for similarities in fossils and rock formations across different continents.
Pangea
- A supercontinent that existed 300 million years ago during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.
- Formed from earlier continental units and began breaking apart about 175 million years ago.
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Description
Explore key geological terms with this flashcard quiz. Each card provides a definition of important concepts, starting with 'rift valley'. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their understanding of geology.
