In some means, Earth resembles a giant jigsaw puzzle. That is because its outer surface is composed of about twenty tectonic plates, enormous sections of Earth's crust that roughly fit together and encounter at places called plate boundaries.Plate boundaries are important because they are frequently associated with earthquakes and volcanoes. When Earth'southward tectonic plates grind past i another, enormous amounts of energy can exist released in the form of earthquakes. Volcanoes are likewise oft found near plate boundaries because molten rock from deep within Earth—called magma—tin can travel upward at these intersections between plates.

There are many different types of plate boundaries. For instance, sections of Earth's crust can come together and collide (a "convergent" plate purlieus), spread apart (a "divergent" plate boundary), or slide past one another (a "transform" plate boundary). Each of these types of plate boundaries is associated with unlike geological features.

Typically, a convergent plate boundary—such as the one between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate—forms towering mountain ranges, like the Himalaya, as Earth's crust is crumpled and pushed upward. In some cases, however, a convergent plate boundary can event in one tectonic plate diving underneath another. This process, chosen "subduction," involves an older, denser tectonic plate being forced deep into the planet underneath a younger, less-dense tectonic plate. When this process occurs in the ocean, an trench">sea trench can course. These trenches are some of the deepest places in the ocean, and they are often the sites of strong earthquakes.

When subduction occurs, a chain of volcanoes often develops near the convergent plate boundary. One such chain of volcanoes tin can be found on the western declension of the U.s., spanning across the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

A divergent plate boundary oftentimes forms a mountain concatenation known as a ridge. This feature forms as magma escapes into the space betwixt the spreading tectonic plates. 1 example of a ridge is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an undersea chain of mountains that formed as ii pairs of tectonic plates spread apart: the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate in the north, and the South American Plate and the African Plate in the s. Because ocean ridges are found underwater, often at not bad depths, they can be hard to written report. In fact, scientists know more about the surfaces of some of the other planets in our solar system than they do about ocean ridges.

A transform plate boundary occurs when two plates slide by each other, horizontally. A well-known transform plate purlieus is the San Andreas Fault, which is responsible for many of California'south earthquakes.

A single tectonic plate can have multiple types of plate boundaries with the other plates that environment information technology. For instance, the Pacific Plate, one of Earth's largest tectonic plates, includes convergent, divergent, and transform plate boundaries.

Plate Boundaries

The movement of Globe'south tectonic plates shape the planet'south surface. This 3-dimensional paradigm shows a map of Earth'due south tectonic plates.

continental plate

Noun

tectonic plate establish below continents.

convergent plate boundary

Substantive

surface area where ii or more than tectonic plates bump into each other. Also chosen a standoff zone.

divergent boundary

Substantive

area where two or more tectonic plates are moving away from each other. Too called an extensional purlieus.

earthquake

Noun

the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activeness.

fault

Noun

a crevice in the Earth'southward crust where in that location has been movement.

mountain

Noun

landmass that forms every bit tectonic plates interact with each other.

oceanic crust

Substantive

thin layer of the Globe that sits beneath ocean basins.

Noun

a long, deep low in the ocean floor.

plate

Noun

large piece of the Earth's crust.

Noun

move and interaction of the Earth'due south plates.

Noun

horseshoe-shaped string of volcanoes and earthquake sites around edges of the Pacific Bounding main.

tectonic plate

Noun

massive slab of solid rock made up of Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle). Also called lithospheric plate.

transform purlieus

Noun

site of tectonic plates sliding next to each other in contrary directions. Also called a transform fault.

transform fault

Substantive

boundary between ii tectonic plates, where the plates are moving horizontally or vertically in reverse directions, not confronting or away from each other. Likewise called a conservative plate boundary.

trench

Noun

long, deep depression, either natural or homo-made.

Noun

an opening in the Earth's crust, through which lava, ash, and gases erupt, and also the cone built by eruptions.

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    Director

    Tyson Dark-brown, National Geographic Guild

    Author

    National Geographic Society

    Production Managers

    Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society
    Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Social club

    Program Specialists

    Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society
    Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

    Producer

    Clint Parks

    Last Updated

    June nine, 2020

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