When two tectonic plates slowly move away from each other it creates a divergent boundary. As this happens, magma rises from the Earth’s mantle into the widening gap between the plates. When it reaches the surface it forms solid rock, creating new crust material. Divergent plate boundaries of...
Tectonic plates move due to a combination ofmantle convection,ridge push,slab pull, andtrench suction.The Earth's outer layer, called thelithosphere, is broken into large, rigid plates that float on the semi-fluid layer beneath, known as theasthenosphere. This movement is complex and results fr...
The Theory of Plate Tectonics explains how tectonic plates move around on surface of the Earth. Tectonic plates have three major boundaries.
The Earth's surface creates a division between its atmosphere and its crust and core. The atmosphere and the innards of the Earth are comprised of five layers each. The outermost layer below the Earth's surface is known as the crust....
As the name suggests, divergent boundaries are tectonic boundaries where plates "diverge" or are tugged apart. This motion creates giant troughs on land, such as the East Africa Rift. In the ocean, this same process createsmid-ocean ridges. Hot magma from Earth’s mantle wells up at these...
An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that occurs when there is a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust, usually as a result of the movement of tectonic plates. This release of energy creates seismic waves that cause the ground to shake, which can be felt by people and can cause...
Tectonic plate smash-ups don’t always result in a subduction zone. When two sections of continental lithosphere converge, it creates a collision zone and the plates crumple together like crashing cars, pushing up material, according to theCalifornia Academy of Sciencesin San Francisco. The massive...
The configuration of the continents, as well as the creation of most major landforms, is related to tectonic activity over geologic time. Most volcanoes occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates that are either converging or diverging; others occur over hotspots. Volcanism both creates new lands,...
A new study says we may only have another 1.45 billion years to enjoy the dynamic action of Earth’s geologic engine.
What is tectonic geomorphology? What is the difference between abyssal plains and the mid-ocean ranges? What type of boundary creates new oceanic crust? What is the difference between earth science and geology? Is the continental or oceanic crust thicker?