Plate Boundaries And the Landforms they Create

There are three different Boundaries

Transformational Convergent Divergent

convergent boundary- boundary where 2 plates are moving toward each other. Crust- outer most layer of the earth. plates- large section of Earth's crust and upper mantle. transform fault boundary- boundary where 2 plates pass each other. sea- floor spreading-theory that the ocean crust is formed at the mid-ocean by molten lava. Lithosphere-crust and upper mantle.Atlantic ocean created when the super continent broke apart. Continental drift-theory that continents move. convergent boundary- where two plates move toward each other. Asthenosphere -plastic layer below lithosphere.

Vocabulary

Convergent Boundaries

Convergent boundaries occur when two plates move toward each other, and one often sinks beneath the other.

The area where one plate sinks beneath another is called a subduction zone

As a result of convergent boundaries, most of the worlds mountains are formed.

There are three types of convergent plates Oceanic-continental convergence Oceanic-oceanic convergence Oceanic-continental convergence

The Andes Mountains

The Andes Mountains are a great example of Convergent Boundaries. The convergence of the Nazca and South American plates has deformed the plates to create these Giant peaks.

Divergent Boundaries

Divergent boundaries occur when the Earth's plates move apart, and form new crust from the magma pushing up from underneath.

Most Divergent boundaries occur underneath the ocean floor, though they can occur on land.

An example of a divergent boundary would be the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a great example of Divergent plate boundaries. This map shows a picture of where the plates have crashed beneath the ocean.

Transform Boundaries

Transform boundaries occur when two plates slide horizontally past each other.

Most transform boundaries are found on the ocean floor.

A good example of transform plate boundaries is the San Andreas fault zone.

Here are two pictures of the San Andreas fault zone. The one on the right, is a map of exactly where it is, and where it runs through. The one on the left is a picture of the fault zone up close.

History of Plate Boundaries.

San Fransisco, 1906

Alfred Wegener

discovered the theory of the continental drift.

The tsunami of 2004.

Alaska, 1964

The Rocky Mountains are a good example of convergent plate boundaries

Anything that had to do with earthquakes, or mountains, is the sequencing of plate boundaries. Therefore, any earthquake like the San Fransisco earthquake of 1906 is historical information on plate boundaries.

Impact on humans.

Careers.

Thousands of people died from the horrible effect of earthquakes, tsunamis and the overall action of plate boundaries.

Seismologists, are scientists who study earthquakes.

Geologists study the physical structure of the earth.

Some examples is, in San Francisco during the earthquake of 1906, there were 3,000 dead, 225,000 injured, and $400,000,000 in property damage(in 1906 money.)

Demonstration Description

Each Table has a set of graham crackers, and a sheet to record their data.

Follow the group member at the front of the room. You will be visually exploring the different plate

boundaries. You will make a prediction, and test each type of

plate boundary using the graham crackers.

Credits

Glasscoe, Maggi. "plate boundaries." SCIGNEM. 9/8/98 . SCIGNEM. 2 Oct 2007 <

http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/plate4.htm>.Case, Carolyn. "plate tectonics." quia. quia. 3 Oct 2007

<http://www.quia.com/jg/262313.html>.