Tectonics
Tectonics
Tectonics (pronunciation: tek-ton-iks) is a field of study within Geology that examines the Earth's lithosphere's large-scale motion and deformation. The term is derived from the Late Latin word "tectonicus," which is based on the Greek "τεκτονικός" (tektonikos), meaning pertaining to building.
Etymology
The term "tectonics" comes from the Greek "τέκτων" (tekton), meaning builder or architect. It was first used in a geological context by the German geologist Eduard Suess in his 1885 book "Das Antlitz der Erde" (The Face of the Earth), where he described the formation of mountain ranges as a result of the Earth's crust's large-scale structural features.
Related Terms
- Plate Tectonics: A theory explaining the structure of the earth's crust and many associated phenomena as resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates that move slowly over the underlying mantle.
- Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
- Mantle (geology): The part of the earth between the crust and the core.
- Crust (geology): The outermost solid shell of a rocky planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite.
- Geology: The science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it.
See Also
- Seismology: The scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies.
- Volcanology: The study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena.
- Stratigraphy: A branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification).
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tectonics
- Wikipedia's article - Tectonics
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