Tectonic Plate Boundaries Quiz

Plate Boundary: The region where two or more tectonic plates intersect, influencing geological activity.
Divergent Boundary: A type of boundary characterized by plates moving away from each other, often resulting in the formation of new crust, such as ocean ridges.
Convergent Boundary: Plates at this boundary move toward each other, which can lead to subduction or mountain formation.
Transform Boundary: Plates slide laterally past one another at this boundary, occasionally causing earthquakes.

Subduction: The geological process where a denser tectonic plate sinks beneath another plate into the mantle, often leading to volcanic activity and earthquakes.
Convection Currents: The cyclical movement of molten rock within the asthenosphere that drives the motion of tectonic plates, influencing geological features.

Lithosphere: The rigid outer layer of the Earth, including the crust and upper mantle, divided into tectonic plates.
Asthenosphere: The semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere that allows for the movement of tectonic plates due to its viscous properties.
Outer Core: A hot, liquid layer of the Earth that generates convection currents, contributing to the movement of the plates above.

Trench: Deep underwater canyons formed at convergent boundaries where subduction occurs, often associated with recycling old oceanic crust.
Midocean Ridge: A prominent underwater mountain range formed by the upwelling of magma at divergent boundaries, creating new ocean floor.
Island Arc: A series of volcanic islands formed from the collision of two oceanic plates, shaping unique ecosystems and geography.
Fold Mountains: Mountain ranges formed from the collision and folding of two continental plates, characterized by complex geological structures.

Continental Crust: Thicker and less dense crust that forms the continents.
Oceanic Crust: Thinner and denser crust that underlies the oceans, subjected to subduction at convergent boundaries.

Subduction can occur when a denser oceanic plate slides beneath a lighter continental plate, triggering geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.