There are four types of plate boundaries:
Different movements of plates causes these different boundaries to occur.
- destructive - rock is broken in the process of plate movement
- constructive - new rock/land is created in the process of plate movement
- conservative - no new rock is formed, and none is destroyed
- uplift collision - mountains and other land forms are formed
Different movements of plates causes these different boundaries to occur.
Destructive Plate Boundary - Converging Plates
Two plates collide with each other. The intense pressure will force one plate to move under the other (this is called the subduction zone). This type of boundary only occurs with an oceanic plate and continental plate. The oceanic plate always converges underneath the continental plate because it is more dense. As the rocks of the oceanic plate get deeper into the mantle of the Earth, they will melt.
This type of plate movement causes volcanoes and earthquakes.
This type of plate movement causes volcanoes and earthquakes.
Constructive Plate Boundary - Diverging Plates
Magma convection currents in the mantle break rock apart. Magma rises through the cracks, cools, therefore creating new land forms/rocks.
This type of plate movement causes volcanoes and earthquakes.
This type of plate movement causes volcanoes and earthquakes.
Conservative Plate Boundary - Sliding or Transforming Plates
Two plates slide past each other. No new land is created, and no land is destroyed.
This type of plate movement causes earthquakes.
This type of plate movement causes earthquakes.
Uplift Collision Boundary - Converging Boundary
Two plates collide and crumple upwards, creating land forms such as mountains. The pressure of the two plates colliding causes them BOTH to crumple upwards.
This type of plate movement causes earthquakes.
This type of plate movement causes earthquakes.