Seafloor Spreading & Subduction Concepts

Study Notes

Key Concepts in Plate Tectonics

Crust: Earth's outermost layer, comprising continental (landmasses) and oceanic (ocean floors) varieties.
Magma: Molten rock beneath the Earth's surface that cools to form rocks with larger crystals.
Mid-Ocean Ridge: An underwater mountain range created by the movement of tectonic plates.
Seafloor Spreading: The process that generates new oceanic crust through magma upwelling at mid-ocean ridges.
Subduction: The mechanism where a denser tectonic plate sinks beneath a less dense plate during convergence.
Tectonic Plates: Massive sections of Earth's crust that shift on the mantle's upper layer due to convection currents.
Oceanic Crust: The section of crust that lies beneath the ocean, denser than continental crust.
Continental Crust: The part of Earth's crust that forms the continents.
Pangaea: The historical supercontinent where all current continents were once interconnected.

Notable Figures

Harry Hess: Geologist who introduced the theory of seafloor spreading, enhancing the understanding of ocean floor formation.
Alfred Wegener: Scientist who formulated the continental drift theory, proposing continents once formed a single landmass.

Geological Features

Trench: Deep ocean regions created by the subducting plates, marking significant geological activity.
Oceanic Plate Subduction: Occurs when oceanic and continental lithospheres collide; the oceanic plate is denser, causing it to dive beneath the continental crust.

Description

This quiz covers essential terminology related to seafloor spreading and subduction, including definitions of crust, magma, and mid-ocean ridges. Enhance your understanding of Earth's geological processes by testing your knowledge with these key concepts.