The mechanisms of plate movements

Question 1

What does the Lithosphere consist of

Answer 1

The lithosphere is consists of 7 large and 3 small plates

Question 2

What are the different plate margins

Answer 2

Converging/diverging plate margins
diverging/constructive plate margins
conservative plate margins

Question 3

What is the converging plate margin

Answer 3

Where plates move towards each other, for example off the west of South America

Question 4

What is the diverging plate margin

Answer 4

Where plates move apart from each other, for example in Iceland

Question 5

What are conservative plate margins

Answer 5

Where plates move alongside each other in opposite directions , or the same direction at different speeds, for example the San Andreas Fault in California

Question 6

What is ridge push

Answer 6

Magma rises at a mid ocean ridge divergent boundary.
Rocks in the lithosphere are then heated, these then expand and rise above the surrounding seafloor forming a slope away from the ridge
As the rocks cool it becomes denser and gravity causes it to slide down the ridge exerting force on the plates
Gravity is the active driving force

Question 7

What is slab pull

Answer 7

At many convergent plate boundaries one plate is denser than the other this plate subducts beneath the other (less dense plate) The subducting plate is colder and heavier and therefore continuous to sink pulling the rest of the plate with it