Creation of crust Flashcards
Where do rising convection currents diverge, and what does this cause?
They diverge at the base of the lithosphere and the drag they create causes the plates above them to diverge also
What happens as the plates diverge?
Magma rises up to fill the gap created, then cools to form new crust, this new crust is dragged apart and even more crust forms between it
At a plate margin under the sea, which process do the diverging plates cause?
Sea floor spreading, which is where the sea floor gets wider.
What can sea floor spreading result in?
Creation of structures called mid-ocean ridges
What are mid-ocean ridges?
Ridges of higher terrain on either side of the margin
What happens as plates move together?
The crust is destroyed or sometimes pushed up into mountains