Divergent plate boundaries Flashcards

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1
Q

What are divergent plate boundaries?

A

They’re when two plates are MOVING AWAY from each other.

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2
Q

What hazards occur at divergent plate boundaries?

A

Volcanic and earthquake hazards.

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3
Q

Why is there a ridge from the oceanic : oceanic plate boundary?

A

Lithosphere gets thinner, less pressure on mantle, mantle rises and spills out in submarine eruptions, creating a ridge.

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4
Q

Why are there earthquakes at divergent plate boundaries if the plates are moving away from one another?

A

Transform faults cause e-quakes as oceanic plate does not move as one plate but in smaller pieces, enabling friction.

Tend to be quite small earthquakes.

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5
Q

give a located example of an oceanic : oceanic divergent plate boundary:

A

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge :)

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6
Q

Why is the Atlantic ocean growing by a few cm a year?

A

Because new plate is being made at the mid-atlantic ridge. Ridges are created by dry lava, creating the mountains.

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7
Q

What happens at a continental : continental divergent plate boundary.

A

Hot spot or plume has caused the continental plate to upwarp.
Over time, crust move away from plume.
Crust moves away and sinks down, creating a RIFT VALLEY.
broken crust moves in opposite directions and lithosphere solidifies to create an oceanic crust. This then creates and Oceanic : oceanic and a MID-OCEAN ridge.

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8
Q

Where is an example of continental : continental plate?

A

East African Rift Valley.

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9
Q

What hazards can occur at continental : continental plate boundaries?

A

Volcanoes BUT the feature being created here is the crust subsiding (collapsing) from being stretched.

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