Plate Boundaries

Divergent Plate Boundary Description of Plate Boundary & Motion at Boundary: ON LAND – two plates spread apart; crust separates and forms a rift valley IN THE OCEAN – sea floor spreading Physical Features: ON LAND – Rift valley, shallow earthquakes IN THE OCEAN – mid-ocean ridge, new sea floor

Divergent Plate Boundary Examples: East African Rift Zone Mid-Atlantic Ridge East Pacific Rise

Transform Plate Boundary Description of Plate Boundary & Motion at Boundary: Two plates slide past each other horizontally Physical Features: Fault Lines Shallow Earthquakes Examples: San Andreas Fault (CA)

Ocean – Ocean Convergent Boundary Description of Plate Boundary & Motion at Boundary: Two ocean plates collide Subduction Physical Features: Volcanic island arc; volcanic islands, deep-sea trenches Shallow to deep Earthquakes Examples: Japan Aleutian Islands Marianas Trench

Ocean-Continental Boundary Description of Plate Boundary & Motion at Boundary: One Ocean plate and one continental plate collide subduction Physical Features: Deep sea trenches, mountain chain with volcanoes Shallow to deep earthquakes Examples: Cascades Andes Peru-Chile Trench

Continental-Continental Convergent Boundary Description of Plate Boundary & Motion at Boundary: Two Continental plates collide Physical Features: Folded mountains, uplifted plateau Shallow earthquakes Examples: Alps Himalayas Appalachian