Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Earth Systems 3209 Unit: 4 The Forces Within Earth Reference: Chapters 4, 15, 16, 19; Appendix A & B

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Plate Boundaries - Transform Unit 4: Topic 2.7 Focus on...  describing a transform boundary.  drawing a transform boundary which demonstrates the relative motion associated with this boundary.

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Plate Boundaries  According to the Plate tectonic theory, three boundaries exist at the edges of tectonic plates. 1)Divergent Boundary (Ridge) 2)Convergent Boundary (Trench) 3)Transform Boundary Text Reference: Pages Figure 19.17, pg. 528

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Transform Boundary  A transform plate boundary is characterized by two plates grinding past one another without the construction or destruction of crust.  Convection currents exert shear forces on opposing plates forcing them to slide past one another.  Lithosphere is neither created or destroyed at these boundaries. Plate Boundaries

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Transform Fault Fracture Zone Oceanic Ridge (spreading center) Transform Boundary  This type of plate boundary was discovered by J. Tuzo Wilson. Wilson proposed the existence of transform faults to explain the numerous narrow fracture zones and earthquakes found in the crust.  He realized that ridges at divergent plate boundaries were not perfectly linear and came to understand that transform faults exist where segments of ridges are offset (see below).  Most transform faults occur where oceanic ridges are offset on the sea floor. Plate Boundaries

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Transform Boundary  Earthquakes along such transform faults are shallow focus earthquakes.  One of the largest such transform boundaries occurs along the boundary of the North American and Pacific plates and is known as the San Andreas Fault. Here the transform fault cuts through continental lithosphere. Plate Boundaries

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Plate Boundaries Transform Boundary – Right Lateral “vs” Left Lateral

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Plate Boundaries

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Example 1: What boundary is NOT associated with volcanic activity? (A)convergent (C)rift (B)divergent (D)transform Which plate boundary does shear forces dominate resulting in tectonic plates sliding past one another? (A)convergent(C)transform (B)divergent(D)subduction

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Example 2: What main type of force results in a transform fault? (A)compression(C)elastic (B)shear(D)tensional Which of the following is an example of a transform fault boundary? (A)Alaskan thrust fault(C)San Andreas fault (B)Japan trench(D)Tokyo normal fault

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Your Turn... Take the time and complete the following questions... (Solutions to follow) Question: Which occurs at a transform plate boundary? (A)collision of plates (B)formation of crust (C)sliding of plates along each other (D)subduction

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Solutions... Question: Which occurs at a transform plate boundary? (A)collision of plates (B)formation of crust (C)sliding of plates along each other (D)subduction

Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Summary... Overview of Points covered: Transform Boundary:  proposed by Tuzo Wilson  shear forces cause plates slide past on another  right lateral “vs” left lateral  most occur along ocean ridges on the sea floor  no volcanic activity – just shallow focus earthquakes  lithosphere is neither created nor destroyed  example: San Andreas fault