The Restless Earth: Plate Margins

A description of the Four Plate Boundaries with examples

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  • Plate Margins
    • Conservative
      • Occurs when plates slide past each other. When the plates lock with each other, friction builds up and when the plates are suddenly released, shockwaves are created.
      • Shockwaves cause earthquakes.
      • E.g San-Andreas Fault, California
    • Constructive
      • Occurs when plates move apart. in the space where there is no solid crust, magma wells up and erupts little by little onto the surface as the plates gradually pull further and further apart. over time, new crust is formed.
      • Volcanoes are formed when magma begins to fill the gap.
      • E.g Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
    • Destructive
      • Friction caused by the oceanic plate melting can cause Earthquakes.
      • E.g Nazca plate is forced under the South-American Plate.
      • Occurs when an Oceanic and Continental plate move together.  Oceanic plate is forced under the lighter continental plate. The oceanic melts and forms a pool of magma which rises up through cracks in the crust onto the surface.
    • Collision
      • Form when two continental plates collide. Neither plate is forced under the other therefore both plates force the other upwards to form fold mountains.
      • Fold Mountains Case Study: THE ANDES
  • Collision
    • Form when two continental plates collide. Neither plate is forced under the other therefore both plates force the other upwards to form fold mountains.
    • Fold Mountains Case Study: THE ANDES

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