Divergent Boundaries

A convergent plate boundary also known as a destructive plate boundary , usually involves an oceanic plate and a continental plate. The plates move towards one another and this movement. Divergent plate boundaries are locations where plates are moving away from one another. This occurs above rising convection currents. The rising current pushes up on the bottom of the lithosphere, lifting it and flowing laterally beneath it. This lateral flow causes the plate material above to be dragged along in the direction of flow.

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A divergent plate boundary often forms a mountain chain known as a ridge. This feature forms as magma escapes into the space between the spreading tectonic plates. 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. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of divergent plate boundaries. At divergent plate margins, plates are moving apart and new lithosphere is being created. In the oceans, this has produced the mid ocean ridge system, which can also be described as a global range of underwater mountains. Well known ocean ridges include the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the East Pacific Rise, the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and the Galapagos. In plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary (also known as a constructive boundary or an extensional boundary) is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other. Divergent boundaries within continents initially produce rifts, which eventually become rift valleys.

Plate Tectonics September 2012

4.5 Divergent Plate Boundaries Modified from "Physical Geology" by Steven Earle* Divergent boundaries are spreading boundaries, where new oceanic crust is created to fill in the space as the plates move apart. Most divergent boundaries are located along mid-ocean oceanic ridges (although some are on land). The mid-ocean ridge Lesson 1: Plate tectonics Plate tectonics: Difference between crust and lithosphere Structure of the earth Plate tectonics: Evidence of plate movement Plate tectonics: Geological features of divergent plate boundaries Plate tectonics: Geological features of convergent plate boundaries Plates moving due to convection in mantle Spreading Centers along Divergent Plate Boundaries. A spreading center is a linear area where new crust forms where two crustal plates are moving apart, such as along a mid-oceanic ridge. Spreading centers are typically seismically active regions in ocean basins and may be regions of active or frequent volcanism (Figure 4.7). Most divergent boundaries are located along mid-ocean oceanic ridges (although some are on land). The mid-ocean ridge system is a giant undersea mountain range, and is the largest geological feature on Earth; at 65,000 km long and about 1000 km wide, it covers 23% of Earth's surface (Figure 4.5.1 4.5. 1 ). Because the new crust formed at the.

A divergent boundary happens when two plates spread apart...

Figure 2.4.1 2.4. 1: Faulting that occurs in divergent boundaries. In places where the continental plates are very thick, they reflect so much heat back into the mantle it develops strong convection currents that push super-heated mantle material up against the overlying plate, softening it. Updated on January 17, 2020 Divergent boundaries exist where tectonic plates move apart from each other. Unlike convergent boundaries, divergence occurs between only oceanic or only continental plates, not one of each. Figure 10.4.1 10.4. 1 A map showing 15 of the Earth's tectonic plates and the approximate rates and directions of plate motions. 10.04: Plate Plate Motions and Plate Boundary Processes#fig10.4.1. Rates of motions of the major plates range from less than 1 cm/y to over 10 cm/y. The Pacific Plate is the fastest, followed by the Australian and. Key points: Earth's lithosphere, or outermost shell, is broken up into large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move slowly over the asthenosphere, a layer of softer rock below the lithosphere. On average, tectonic plates move a few centimeters per year. The place where two plates meet is called a plate boundary.

divergent boundary

Divergent Plate Boundaries At a divergent boundary, tectonic plates move apart from one another. They never really separate because magma continuously moves up from the mantle into this boundary, building new plate material on both sides of the plate boundary. The Atlantic Ocean is home to a divergent plate boundary, a place called the Mid. Divergent (Spreading) :This is where two plates move away from each other. Molten rock from the mantle erupts along the opening, forming new crust. The earthquakes that occur along these zones, called spreading centers, are relatively small.