Plate Boundaries

Question 1

What is a destructive plate boundary?

Answer 1

• when an oceanic plate and continental plate move towards each other, the oceanic plate is forced under the lighter continental plate
• this causes friction which may cause earthquakes
• the oceanic plate melts as it gets closer to to the core and so magma rises up through the cracks and forms volcanoes on the surface

Question 2

What is a constructive plate boundary?

Answer 2

• they occur when plates move away from each other
• magma rises up to fill the gaps and volcanoes are formed

Question 3

What is a conservative plate boundary?

Answer 3

• they occur when plates slide past each other in opposite directions or in the same direction but at different speeds
• friction is eventually overcome and the plates slip past each other in a sudden movement and the shockwaves produced cause an earthquake

Question 4

What are collision zones?

Answer 4

• they form when two continental plates collide
• neither plate is forced under the other and so both are forced up which causes fold mountains to formed