1. Chapter 6 Study Guide

2. What is the theory of continental drift?
Why continents move

3. What causes seismic waves?
Earthquakes

4. Describe a transform boundary?
A boundary at which two tectonic plates slide past one another horizontally

5. What is Global Positioning used for?
To measure tectonic plate motion

6. What is a batholith?
A large mass of igneous rock in Earth’s crust

7. Which is considered the main driving force of plate tectonics?
Convection

8. What two plates make up the San Andreas Fault?
North American plate and Pacific plate

9. What is Continental Drift Theory?
The idea that all continents were part of one big landmass

10. Describe magnetic reversal
The process by which Earth’s magnetic poles change places

11. Vocabulary
Asthenosphere: the soft layer of the mantle on which tectonic plates move
Fault: a break in a body of rock along which one block slides relative to another
Seismic wave: vibrations that when measured can be used to calculate the thickness of Earth’s layers
Inner core: the hot, solid layer Earth’s center
Crust: the outside layer of Earth

12. Vocabulary
Pangaea: single large continent that gave rise to today’s continents
Tectonic plates: pieces of Earth’s lithosphere
Outer core: Earth’s liquid layer
Volcanic mountains: mountains formed from eruption of molten rock

13. What measurement is used for the movement of tectonic plates?
Centimeters per year

14. What makes up most of Earth’s core?
Iron

15. What type of boundary forms folded and volcanic mountains?
Convergent

16. What is not formed as a result of tectonic plates converging?
A mid-ocean ridge

17. What is not a possible driving force of plate tectonics?
erosion