Science Common Sense
1560 - What are the different geological activities and magma movements at plate boundaries.
Imagine the Earth's surface is broken into huge puzzle pieces called 'plates'. These plates are always moving, causing various geological activities at their boundaries. There are three main types of plate boundaries:
- Divergent boundary: When plates move away from each other.
- Magma rises up to fill the gap, creating new crust.
- Volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges form.
Example: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is where the North American and Eurasian plates are moving apart, creating new ocean floor.
- Convergent boundary: When plates move towards each other.
- One plate is forced under the other (subduction).
- Magma forms as the subducted plate melts.
- Volcanoes can form on the overlying plate.
Example: The Pacific Ring of Fire, where several plates meet and cause volcanic activity.
- Transform boundary: When plates slide past each other horizontally.
- Magma movement is minimal or none.
- Earthquakes occur as the plates 'catch' and 'slip'.
Example: The San Andreas Fault in California, where the Pacific and North American plates are sliding past each other.
These plate boundary interactions shape our planet's surface and create diverse geological features.