DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS The

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES

THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth’s crust and rigid upper mantle are broken into enormous slabs called plates These plates interact with each other at areas called plate boundaries

THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS Types of plate boundaries: Divergent Convergent Transform Features found at plate boundaries: Volcanoes Earthquakes Deep Sea Trenches Mid-Ocean Ridges

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES Divergent – Plate boundary where 2 lithospheric plates are moving apart Divergent Oceanic Divergent Continental

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES Divergent Oceanic – Area where 2 oceanic plates are pulling apart Magma from the mantle is rising and is splitting the plates apart Results in: Volcanoes Earthquakes Mid-Ocean Ridge

MID-OCEAN RIDGE o Mid-Ocean Ridge-Underwater mountain chain formed as a result of seafloor spreading • • • Magma rises from mantle, cool and forms rock Results in mountains Mid-Atlantic Ridge – Mid-Ocean Ridge forming down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean Iceland formed along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES Divergent Continental – Place where 2 continental plates are pulling apart Results in a rift valley East Africa