0
Okay this is going to be long :X
IN GENERAL...
Divergent Plate Movement (plates move away from each other)-
Continental and continental, oceanic and oceanic
-Constructive Plate Boundary
Convergent Plate Movement (plates move towards each other)-
Continental and Oceanic, Oceanic and Oceanic, Continental and Continental
-Destructive Plate Boundary
Transform Plate Movement (plates sliding past each other)-
Continental and Continental
-Conservative Plate Boundary
DIVERGENT PLATE MOVEMENT
When plates move apart, magma wells up from Earth's mantle to form a new ocean floor with mid-oceanic ridges.
It is a constructive plate boundary because new land crust is being created.
O & O (Oceanic and Oceanic)
Oceanic Ridges and Submarine volcanoes are formed. Shallow earthquakes may occur and there may be volcanic activity.
Magma from the deeper mantle wells up into the gap formed when two oceanic plates move away from each other, and some of it melts and is erupted on the surface as lava, while others are injected near the surface to crystallize as other igneous rocks.
The seafloor may also spread, and magma rises to the floor and solidify, forming new crust. Therefore it is a constructive plate boundary as new crust is formed and added to the ocean floor. An example of the resulting landforms would be the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
C & C (Continental and Continental)
When two continental plates move away from each other, a sea is formed. E.g. Red Sea.
CONVERGENT PLATE MOVEMENT
When plates move towards each other, they may collide.
When 2 oceanic plates collide, plate edges are bent into a deep trench called thesubduction zone. It is a destructive plate boundary because the subducted plate is destroyed in the process.
O & O
Subduction takes place, and the over-riding plate (the plate above) folds and form islands, whilst the heavier plate sinks into the mantle of the Earth and is melted away by the magma. The magma rises and forms volcanoes. E.g. Japan.
C & O
When an oceanic plate collide with a continental plate, the oceanic plate sinks as it has a larger density. Lithosphere materials from the oceanic crust are subducted in the trench whilst the continental border is fractured, folded and uplifted. Magma rises and a mountain accompanied by volcanic activity are formed.
E.g. Andes Mountains.
C & C
When two continental plates collide, neither sinks because they have similar densities. The continental lithosphere buckles and is uplifted instead, forming fold mountains. Little volcanic activity occur as rocks from the lithosphere do not sink deep into the asthenosphere (upper mantle zone) Earthquakes, faulting and folding however, are common.
E.g. Himalayas.
TRANSFORM PLATE MOVEMENT
Occurs when two plates slip past each other. Tear faults form, accompanied by earthquakes due to great amount of stress built up in these areas, but there is little volcanic activity and little crustal material is destroyed.
What else can I help you with?
How do transform plate boundaries differ from plate boundaries?
Transform plate boundaries differ from other types of plate boundaries, such as convergent and divergent boundaries, in that they involve horizontal sliding of tectonic plates past one another rather than moving towards or away from each other. At transform boundaries, the friction between the plates can lead to earthquakes, as the plates may become locked and release energy suddenly when they finally shift. In contrast, convergent boundaries involve plates colliding and often forming mountains or subduction zones, while divergent boundaries occur where plates are moving apart, creating new crust. Overall, the movement and geological processes at transform boundaries are distinct from those at convergent and divergent boundaries.
Do shallow earthquakes seem to correlate to any particular plate boundary?
Yes, shallow earthquakes are often associated with tectonic plate boundaries, particularly at divergent and transform boundaries. At divergent boundaries, tectonic plates move apart, causing tensional stresses that can lead to shallow seismic activity. Transform boundaries, where plates slide past each other, also frequently produce shallow earthquakes due to shear stresses. In contrast, deeper earthquakes are more commonly found at convergent boundaries, where one plate subducts beneath another.
Why are volcanoes NOT found at transform boundaries?
Volcanoes are not found at transform boundaries because these boundaries occur where tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This lateral movement does not create the conditions necessary for magma to rise to the surface, as there is no significant melting of the mantle or crust involved. Instead, transform boundaries are characterized by earthquakes due to the friction and stress that build up as the plates grind against one another. In contrast, volcanic activity is typically associated with divergent or convergent boundaries, where melting occurs due to tectonic processes.
Which of these does not occur at a convergent boundary?
A divergent boundary does not occur at a convergent boundary. At convergent boundaries, tectonic plates move towards each other and usually result in the formation of mountains, ocean trenches, or volcanic activity. In contrast, divergent boundaries occur when plates move away from each other and create new oceanic crust.
What type of plate boundaries do the following volcanic materials?
Volcanic materials are commonly associated with divergent and convergent plate boundaries. At divergent boundaries, such as mid-ocean ridges, magma rises to create new crust, resulting in volcanic activity. In contrast, convergent boundaries, where one tectonic plate subducts beneath another, lead to explosive volcanic eruptions due to the melting of subducted material and the accumulation of magma. This process is typical in regions like the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Which of these does not occur at a convergent boundary?
A divergent boundary does not occur at a convergent boundary. At convergent boundaries, tectonic plates move towards each other and usually result in the formation of mountains, ocean trenches, or volcanic activity. In contrast, divergent boundaries occur when plates move away from each other and create new oceanic crust.
What type of plate boundary would have less silica content?
A divergent plate boundary would have less silica content compared to a convergent plate boundary. Divergent boundaries involve the separation of tectonic plates, with new oceanic crust forming from magma that is relatively low in silica content. In contrast, convergent boundaries involve the collision of tectonic plates, resulting in the melting of crust with higher silica content, leading to more explosive volcanic activity.
Which type of boundary produces rifts or trenches?
Rifts and trenches are produced by divergent and convergent boundaries, respectively. Divergent boundaries occur when tectonic plates move apart, leading to the formation of rift valleys, such as the East African Rift. In contrast, convergent boundaries happen when plates collide, causing one plate to subduct beneath another, resulting in deep ocean trenches, like the Mariana Trench. Each type of boundary is associated with distinct geological features and processes.
Compare and contrast divergent and convergent plate boundries?
Divergent plate boundaries involve plates moving away from each other, creating new crust and often resulting in mid-ocean ridges. Convergent plate boundaries involve plates moving towards each other, leading to subduction zones, mountain ranges, and volcanic activity. Both types of boundaries can result in earthquakes due to the movement and interaction of tectonic plates.
Why are divergent boundaries considered constructive while convergent boundaries are considered destructive?
At a constructive (divergent) plate boundary, new crust is being created to infill the gaps caused by spreading plates. At a destructive (subduction-convergent) plate boundary, old, dense oceanic crust is diving into, and becoming part of the mantle.
Explain why most earthquakes associated with convergent boundaries originate much deeper than earthquakes associated with divergents boundaries?
Earthquakes at convergent boundaries occur at greater depths because of the intense pressure from the overriding tectonic plates, which drives the descending plate deeper into the mantle where it eventually triggers seismic activity. In contrast, earthquakes at divergent boundaries are generally shallower due to the tensional forces pulling the plates apart, causing them to fracture closer to the surface.
What type of plate boundary has the highest amount of heat flow?
Mid-ocean ridges, which are divergent plate boundaries, typically exhibit the highest amount of heat flow. At these boundaries, tectonic plates are pulling apart, allowing magma to rise from the mantle and create new oceanic crust. This upwelling of hot material results in elevated geothermal gradients and increased heat flow compared to other types of plate boundaries. In contrast, convergent and transform boundaries generally have lower heat flow due to different geological processes at play.
Compare and contrast the three plate boundaries?
Oceanic-continental convergence (when an oceanic plate meets a continental plate) & oceanic-oceanic convergence (2 oceanic plates) both involve oceanic plates & subduction. Continental-continental convergence (2 continental plates) involves neither.
The two types of convergent boundaries are -?
The two types of convergent boundaries are oceanic-continental and continental-continental. At oceanic-continental convergent boundaries, an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental plate, leading to volcanic activity and the formation of mountain ranges. In contrast, at continental-continental convergent boundaries, two continental plates collide, resulting in the uplift of mountain ranges without significant subduction. These interactions are responsible for significant geological features and seismic activity.
Is the cascadia subduction zone a transform boundary?
No, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is not a transform boundary; it is a convergent boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate. This process leads to significant geological activity, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Transform boundaries, in contrast, involve plates sliding past one another horizontally, such as the San Andreas Fault in California.
Why do volcanoes form along some plate boundaries but not along others?
Volcanoes generally form where the oceanic plate subducts under the continental plate.If you think of the ocean floor as a conveyor belt running outwards in both directions from the centre. (New floor is created by material forced from below).where it meets the continental plate it is driven underneath, causing great friction and the associated heat.This heat will melt the rock and the pressure forces the molten rock to the surface.This creates a volcano.Other plate boundaries not associated with the ocean floor will either be convergent, (pushing towards each other) divergent, (pulling away from each other) or strike-slip.(rubbing up against each other).These plate boundaries are likely to have earthquake zones as the pressures mount between them.
How are divergent and convergent boundaries different?
Convergent plates are two tectonic plates that are colliding as they move toward each other. There are several types of converging plate boundaries. Oceanic to oceanic plate convergence: Where an oceanic plate collides with another oceanic plate, the more dense plate subducts into the mantle. The subduction results in the partial melting of lithospheric rock above the area of the subduction, causing underwater volcanoes to form. If the volcanoes grow to reach the surface, volcanic arc islands are formed. Oceanic to continental plate convergence: Where an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, the oceanic plate is subducted due to the fact that it is more dense, which can also cause volcanism and mountain building. Continental to continental plate convergence: Where two continental plates collide, neither subducts into the mantle, the crust is thickened, and mountain ranges are formed from the thickening and uplift.
