Divergent boundary , theory of continental drift , tectonic plate, rift valley, convection currents, convergent boundary, subduction zone, ridge push, mid ocean ridge, trench, Pangaea, Transform boundary, slab pull the process by which one tectonic plate slips beneath another tectonic plate

the deepest area of the ocean

Huge pieces of earth's crust that cover its surface and fit together at their edges.

a place where two of earth's tectonic plates are moving apart; is associated with volcanism, earthquakes, and high heat flow and is found primarily on the seafloor

long, narrow depression that forms when continental crust begins to separate at a divergent boundary

place where two tectonic plates are moving toward each otheris associated with trenches, island arcs, and folded mountains

ancient landmass made up of all the continents that began to break apart about 200 million years ago

chain of underwater mountains that run throughout the ocean basins, have a total length of 65,000 km and contain active and extinct volcanoes

place where two tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other

tectonic process associated with convection currents in earth's mantle that occurs when the weight of an elevated ridge pushes an oceanic plate toward a subduction zone

tectonic process associated with convection currents in earth's mantle that occurs as the weight of the subducting plate pulls the trailing lithosphere into a subduction zone

the theory that earth's continents were joined as a single land mass, called Pangaea, that brokd apart about about 200 million years ago and slowly moved to their present positions

aid in the transfer of thermal energy from warmer regions of matter to cooler regions

Predator instincts is what causes it

Environmental science studies the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment, including their effects on all types of organisms. earth science (also known as geoscience), is an inclusive term for all sciences related to earth (geology, meteorology, oceanogr maphy, etc).  although environmental and earth science cover essentially the same material, environmental science places greater emphasis on the biological realm, while earth science places greater emphasis on the physical realm.    environmental and earth science study the interactions of four major systems or “spheres” (figure 8.6).  the  geosphere  consists of the core, mantle and crust of the earth.the  atmosphere  contains all of the earth’s air and is divided into troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere.the  hydrosphere  contains all of the solid, liquid and gaseous water on earth, extending from the depths of the sea to the upper reaches of the troposphere where water is found.  ninety-seven percent of the hydrosphere is found in salty oceans, and the remainder is found as vapor or droplets in the atmosphere and as liquid in ground water, lakes, rivers, glaciers and snowfields.  the  biosphere  is the collection of all earth’s life forms, distributed in major life zones known as biomes:   tundra, boreal forest, temperate deciduous forest, temperate grassland, desert, savannah, tropical rainforest, chaparral, freshwater, and marine.although the four systems have their unique identities, there is substantial interaction between them.  environmental scientists study the effects of events in one sphere on the other spheres. for example, a volcanic eruption in the geosphere may cause profound direct and indirect effects on the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere as follows: example 1 (volcano)    on may 18, 1980, mount saint helens, in the state of washington, erupted.  this event altered the surrounding environment, and provided scientists with an opportunity to study the effects of volcanic eruptions on the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere.  such studies are vital because volcanic eruptions will continue to occur, and will have increasing impact on humans as people continue to settle lands closer to dormant volcanoes. the following are but a few of the myriad of interactions resulting from a volcanic