Chapter 10 - Plate Movement Flashcards
Oceanic Crust
Denser, thinner, contains heavier elements.
Continental Crust
Thicker, less dense, contains lighter elements
Divergent Boundaries
- plates move away from each other
- forms seafloor spreading
- forms rift valleys
- aka constructive boundaries
What is a Converging Boundary
A converging boundary the plates collide together, destroying rock, AKA destructive boundaries
Continental-Continental Converging Boundaries
When they collide, the rocks get pushed upwards forming large mountain ranges. e.g. Himalayas
Oceanic-Continental Converging Boundaries
When they collide, the denser oceanic crust is pushed underneath the continental crust, creating trenches, this is called subduction.
The pressure on the continental crust creates fold mountains and active volcanoes.
Oceanic-Oceanic Converging Boundaries
When they collide, the faster plate undergoes subduction, a deep trench is formed.
The plate underneath melts, forming lava which rises, creating islands arcs.
Transforming Boundary
Occur when plates slide past each other in parallel.
The pressure builds up until sudden slips cause an earthquake.
Fold mountains form.
Fault lines
Cracks in the plate along the boundaries are known as fault lines.
