Background Information - Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonic movement is orginally caused by convection currents. In this process, hot magma rises to the top of the Earth, pushing the plates apart and making new land. The cooler magma also sinks down,before getting heated again by the centre of the Earth. This heat cycle is known as convection currents, the cause of plate tectonic movement and activity.
The first diagram of the picture above is showing a divergent boundary. In this process, magma rises to the surface of the Earth, pushing the plates apart and forming new land. When the magma settles after exploding through cracks in the Earth's crust (eruption) it forms a volcano. An example of this is the North American Plate and Eurasian Plate. The second is showing a convergent boundary forming a subduction zone, where the Oceanic Plate buckles under the Continental Plate. The plate that goes under then melts from the heat and forms magma, making a volcano. An example of this is the Carribean
Plate and the Atlantic Plate.
The third diagram shows plates transforming, forming an earthquake. The plates are laterally sliding past each other and friction is created. The pressure of the plates is given off in the form of an earthquake, when the pressure is too great. One example of this is seen in the USA, where the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate are sliding past each other, resulting in a large amount of earthquakes in the Western United States.
The first diagram of the picture above is showing a divergent boundary. In this process, magma rises to the surface of the Earth, pushing the plates apart and forming new land. When the magma settles after exploding through cracks in the Earth's crust (eruption) it forms a volcano. An example of this is the North American Plate and Eurasian Plate. The second is showing a convergent boundary forming a subduction zone, where the Oceanic Plate buckles under the Continental Plate. The plate that goes under then melts from the heat and forms magma, making a volcano. An example of this is the Carribean
Plate and the Atlantic Plate.
The third diagram shows plates transforming, forming an earthquake. The plates are laterally sliding past each other and friction is created. The pressure of the plates is given off in the form of an earthquake, when the pressure is too great. One example of this is seen in the USA, where the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate are sliding past each other, resulting in a large amount of earthquakes in the Western United States.