Plate Tectonics Crossword

1. The process by which new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and moves outward.
4. The process where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another into the mantle at a convergent boundary.
7. The theory that continents move over geological time, originally proposed by Alfred Wegener.
9. A fracture in Earth's crust where movement has occurred due to plate tectonics.
11. The semi-solid layer of Earth beneath the crust that moves slowly, driving plate movement.
12. Large, rigid sections of Earth's lithosphere that move over the asthenosphere.
13. The rigid outer layer of Earth, made up of the crust and uppermost mantle.
16. The outermost solid layer of Earth, composed of oceanic and continental crust.
18. A plate boundary where two plates move toward each other, often forming mountains, earthquakes, or volcanoes.
20. A crack or split in Earth's surface that forms at a divergent boundary where plates are pulling apart.

2. A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of tectonic plates along faults.
3. A geological feature where magma reaches the surface, often forming mountains and erupting with lava and gases.
5. Relating to the structure and movement of Earth's crust.
6. A plate boundary where two plates move apart, leading to the formation of new crust, such as mid-ocean ridges.
8. A partially molten, flowing layer of the mantle beneath the lithosphere that allows plate movement.
10. A plate boundary where two plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.
14. a location where magma rises from deep within the mantle, forming volcanic islands like Hawaii.
15. a large, powerful ocean wave caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides.
17. Molten rock beneath Earth's surface that can rise to form volcanoes.
19. a deep underwater valley formed at a subduction zone where one plate sinks beneath another.