Plate Boundaries Plate Boundaries Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics
Plate Boundaries
Plate Boundaries
Plate Tectonics ▪ Plate Tectonics – theory that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere ▪ The lithosphere is made of two types of crust ▪ Continental – Less dense, Thicker on average ▪ Oceanic – More dense, Thinner on average
What Directions Do Plates Move? ▪ 3 types of plate boundaries 1. Convergent – Plates are moving towards each other 2. Divergent – Plates are moving away from each other 3. Transform – Plates are moving past each other
Convergent Plate Boundary ▪ Convergent – Plates are moving towards each other ▪ Subduction – subduction occurs when one tectonic plate is pushed underneath another ▪ DENSITY!! ▪ More dense plates will sink below less dense plates
Oceanic-Oceanic ▪ Arrows – ▪ Picture – ▪ Land Features – Trenches, Island Arc, Underwater Volcanoes
Ocean-Continent ▪ Arrows – ▪ Picture – ▪ Land Features – Very active volcanoes, Trench from subduction zone
Continent-Continent ▪ Arrows ▪ Picture ▪ Land Features – Mountain Ranges
Divergent Plate Boundary ▪ Divergent – Plates are moving away from each other ▪ Sea-floor Spreading – at divergent boundaries magma rises and cools, slowly pushing the plates apart ▪ Where the magma comes up is called an Oceanic Ridge
Transform Plate Boundary ▪ Transform – Plates are moving past each other ▪ Strike-Slip-Fault – Plates are moving past each other causing friction and earthquakes ▪ Famous Example – San Andreas Fault
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