6th Grade Tectonic Plates Vocab

2. A type of plate boundary where two plates move toward each other, causing mountains, earthquakes, or volcanic activity.
5. The very center of Earth, made of iron and nickel, with two parts: the outer core (liquid) and the inner core (solid).
7. The outer layer of Earth, made of solid rock, including the crust and upper part of the mantle.
11. A large opening in the Earth's surface where melted rock, ash, and gases escape.
13. The movement in the mantle caused by heat from the Earth's core, helping to move tectonic plates.
14. The name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago when all the continents were joined together.
15. The Earth's outer layer, made of solid rock. It's the thinnest layer of the Earth.
16. A type of plate boundary where two plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.
17. A crack in the Earth's surface where plates move or slide past each other. Earthquakes can happen along faults.

1. Large pieces of Earth's lithosphere that move on top of the asthenosphere.
3. A layer of the Earth beneath the lithosphere that is soft and flows slowly, allowing the lithosphere to move on top of it.
4. The remains or traces of ancient plants or animals, which provide evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.
6. The process where new oceanic crust is created as two plates move apart at mid-ocean ridges.
8. A type of plate boundary where two plates move away from each other, creating new crust at mid-ocean ridges.
9. A sudden shaking or movement of Earth's surface caused by the release of energy along a fault or plate boundary.
10. The thick layer of rock beneath the Earth's crust that can flow slowly.
12. The place where one tectonic plate is pushed under another plate, often causing earthquakes and volcanoes.