Ch. 17

outermost layer of the earth

a network of satellites used to measure the movement of tectonic plates

the large supercontinent that existed millions of years ago

the type of stress in which forces act to stretch an object

amount of force per unit area that is put on a given material

a type of stress caused by an object being squeezed, as when to tectonic plates collide

the surface along which rocks break and slide past each other, in a normal fault the hanging wall moves down

hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall

opposing forces cause rock to break and move horizontally

regions of the crust are raised to a higher elevation

rock layers are squeezed together and are pushed upward, rock layers rumple like a rug

faulting causes large blocks of the crust to drop down relative to other rocks, resulting in sharp, jagged peaks

change in shape as a result of stress

the type of waves of energy that travel through the earth

the crust and the upper mantle, made of tectonic plates

soft layer of the mantle on which the tectonic plates move

middle sphere, strong, lower part of the mantle

liquid layer of the earth's core that lies beneath the mantle

solid, dense center of our planet