Tectonic plates Flashcards
What two things do constructive margins create
ocean ridge and rift valley
How are ocean ridges formed
formed when the diverging plates are under the ocean
What are the three main types of plate boundary?
Constructive (divergent), Destructive (convergent), Conservative (transform).
What occurs at a constructive (divergent) plate boundary?
Plates move apart, leading to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
What landforms are created at constructive plate margins?
Ocean ridges and rift valleys.
What is an example of an ocean ridge?
The Mid Atlantic Ridge.
What is an example of a rift valley?
The East African Rift Valley.
What happens at a destructive (convergent) plate boundary?
Plates move towards each other, causing deep sea trenches and volcanic activity.
What is a deep sea trench?
A long, narrow depression in the ocean floor, often associated with subduction zones.
What is an example of a deep sea trench?
The Peru-Chile trench.
What landforms are created at oceanic-continental destructive boundaries?
Deep sea trenches and fold mountains.
What are fold mountains?
Mountains formed by the compression and deformation of continental plates.
What is an example of fold mountains?
The Andes.
What occurs at oceanic-oceanic destructive boundaries?
Subduction creates deep sea trenches and island arcs.
What is an example of an island arc?
Japan.
What happens at a collision boundary?
Two continental plates converge, forming fold mountains with no volcanic activity.
What is an example of a collision boundary landform?
The Himalayas.
What occurs at a conservative (transform) plate margin?
Plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes.
What is an example of a conservative margin?
The San Andreas Fault.
How do processes at plate boundaries impact volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?
Constructive margins have mild earthquakes and less explosive eruptions; destructive margins have strong earthquakes and explosive eruptions; conservative margins can lead to powerful earthquakes.
