Plate Boundaries
Types of Plate Boundary
- Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes most commonly occur at or near plate boundaries
- There are four main types of plate boundaries:
- Constructive (divergent)
- Destructive (convergent)
- Collision
- Conservative (transform)
Constructive (Divergent) Plate Boundary
- At the constructive boundary, the plates are moving apart
- The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of a constructive plate boundary
- Both volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can occur at this type of plate boundary
Constructive (Divergent) plate boundary
Destructive (Convergent) Plate Boundary
- At a destructive (convergent) plate boundary, the plates are moving together
- The denser, heavier oceanic plate subducts under the lighter, less dense continental plate
- The boundary between the Nazca plate and the South American plate is an example
- Both volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur at this type of plate boundary
Destructive (Convergent) Plate Boundary
Collision Boundary
- At a collision boundary, two plates of similar density move towards each other
- Neither is dense enough to subduct so the land is pushed upwards
- This process forms fold mountains such as the Himalayas
- Earthquakes are the main hazard at this type of plate boundary
Collision Boundary
Conservative (Transform) Boundary
- At a conservative (transform) boundary, the plates move past each other in opposite directions or in the same direction at different speeds
- Earthquakes are the only hazard at this type of boundary
Conservative (Transform) Boundary
Exam Tip
Draw each of the plate boundaries and add annotations to outline the processes. This will help you to remember what happens at each one.