CH 5 Test, Study Questions

1.Explain how continents move, including sea-floor spreading

The continents are located on pieces of the lithosphere that float on the toothpaste like Asthenosphere.  These pieces of lithosphere are called plates.  The plates move around on the surface of the earth because the Asthenosphere is moving.  Many scientists believe that it is moving due to convection currents ("hot things rise, and cool things sink"... remember).  

The process that moves the plates is called sea-floor spreading.  Sea-floor spreading is when the mantle is pushed up through the mid-ocean ridge and creates new sea floor.  As the rock gets older, it travels along the sea-floor until it reaches a deep sea trench where subduction occurs and the rock flows back down to the mantle and melts.  This movement of the sea floor pushes the continents along like a conveyor belt.

2.Label the parts of the earth
Remember that the mantle has 3 parts:  lithosphere, asthenosphere (toothpaste), and lower mantle

3.Explain what happens at points where the plates touch.
 Remember that the Transform Boundaries experience earthquakes,  the Divergent Boundaries create valleys, and the Convergent Boundaries make mountains and volcanoes.