What are the two types of divergent boundaries?
There are two types of divergent boundaries, categorized by where they occur: continental rift zones and mid-ocean ridges.
What happens at a divergent boundary?
A divergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other. Along these boundaries, earthquakes are common and magma (molten rock) rises from the Earth’s mantle to the surface, solidifying to create new oceanic crust. Two plates sliding past each other forms a transform plate boundary.
What will be formed if the three plate boundaries meet in one place?
At the triple junction each of the three boundaries will be one of 3 types – a ridge (R), trench (T) or transform fault (F) – and triple junctions can be described according to the types of plate margin that meet at them (e.g. Transform-Transform-Trench, Ridge-Ridge-Ridge, or abbreviated F-F-T, R-R-R).
Where do 3 plate boundaries intersect?
A triple junction is a point where the three plates, A, B, and C, meet. It is also the intersection of the boundaries between the three pairs AB, BC, and AC.
What happens at a convergent boundary between two oceanic plates?
If the two plates that meet at a convergent plate boundary both are of oceanic crust, the older, denser plate will subduct beneath the less dense plate. The older plate subducts into a trench, resulting in earthquakes. Melting of mantle material creates volcanoes at the subduction zone.
Why the triple junction is unusual?
This triple junction is unusual in that it consists of a mid-oceanic ridge, the Chile Rise, being subducted under the South American Plate at the Peru–Chile Trench. At first the Antarctic Plate subducted only in the southernmost tip of Patagonia, meaning that the Chile Triple Junction lay near the Strait of Magellan.
What happens if plate tectonics stopped?
One big problem with plate tectonics stopping is that plate motion is the mechanism by which Earth is cooling down and getting rid of its internal heat. If the plates stopped moving, the planet would have to find a new and efficient means to blow off this heat.
What really happens when plates move?
When the plates move they collide or spread apart allowing the very hot molten material called lava to escape from the mantle. When collisions occur they produce mountains, deep underwater valleys called trenches, and volcanoes. The Earth is producing “new” crust where two plates are diverging or spreading apart.