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 • subductionPhysical 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