Geology: the study of the earth’s surface & substructure (what’s inside it)

Crust: the outermost and thinnest of Earth’s layerst

the layer of Earth between the Mantle the layer of Earth between the crust and the core

Lithosphere layer of the Earth that consists of the crust and upper mantle

Core the center part of the Earth made up of a liquid outer core & a solid inner core

pieces of Earth’s lithosphere Plates (of the earth) pieces of Earth’s lithosphere (like puzzle pieces)

Plate Tectonics the theory that the plates of the Earth are constantly moving

Pangaea hypothetical giant landmass that existed when all the continents were joined

Convergent boundary the plates come together

Divergent boundary the plates move apart

the plates slide past each other Transform Boundary the plates slide past each other

Convection Motion in a gas or liquid in which the warmer portions rise and the colder portions sink

The movement of one tectonic plate Subduction The movement of one tectonic plate under another

Fault places where the plates of the Earth meet, causing a break in the Earth’s crust

Earthquake: the shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by the release of energy along a fault

a scale that measures the strength Richter Scale a scale that measures the strength of an earthquake

Seismic waves waves that are given off during an earthquake that travel through the ground

an instrument that is used to detect and Seismograph an instrument that is used to detect and measure seismic waves

Volcano an opening in the Earth’s crust through which steam, lava, and ashes erupt

molten rock on Earth’s surface Lava molten rock on Earth’s surface

molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface Magma molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface

the underground point where an earthquake Focus the underground point where an earthquake begins (ground zero)

Epicenter the point on Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake

Magnitude measurement of an earthquake’s strength based on seismic waves and movement along faults

a long, narrow, raised land formation Ridge a long, narrow, raised land formation

a long, narrow ditch or valley Trench a long, narrow ditch or valley