Plate boundaries are spread and connected all over Earth just like cracks form when you crack an egg. There are many kinds, divergent, convergent, transforming, and more. But today we will talk about divergent and convergent. If a plate boundary is convergent, that means that two plates are moving slowly and gradually toward each other. If a plate boundary is divergent, that means that the two plates are moving slowly and gradually away from each other. The surface of the earth, anywhere, is constructed of hard solid rock. But underneath this layer of hard rock, you will find mantle.
Mantle is key to learning about plate motion. Mantle is soft solid rock, and it always has something to do in the process of plate motion.
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Here, there will be two plates, moving towards each other. The older plate, the plate that has existed for a longer amount of time will sink down into the mantle. The hard solid rock will be destroyed and converted into soft solid rock. The younger plate will overlap the older one. This process will take many years, moving at only a few centimeters a year. In millions of years into the future, continents that now have a vast ocean between them might be connected. Convergent plates, even moving very slowly, can cause many destructive earthquakes, some that can cause ocean wide tsunamis. You know when there is a convergent plate boundary when you see a ridge. Wherever there is a ridge, there is a convergent plate boundary.
Divergent Plate Boundaries
Here, the two plates on the plate boundary will gradually move away from each other, the exact opposite of what a convergent plate boundary does. Divergent plate boundaries will cause mid ocean trenches. A famous example of this is the Atlantic mid ocean trench. The two plates on either side contain one continent each: South America and Africa. If you had a tracker on both continents, you would notice that every year they move away from each other. Divergent plate boundaries tend to move faster, speeding the process up. But they only move about four centimeters more than a convergent plate boundary moves every year.
There is also another plate boundary called a transforming plate boundary. Transforming plate boundaries are slightly similar to divergent plate boundaries. On each one, two plates move away from each other. But I will talk about them in a later time.
Mantle is key to learning about plate motion. Mantle is soft solid rock, and it always has something to do in the process of plate motion.
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Here, there will be two plates, moving towards each other. The older plate, the plate that has existed for a longer amount of time will sink down into the mantle. The hard solid rock will be destroyed and converted into soft solid rock. The younger plate will overlap the older one. This process will take many years, moving at only a few centimeters a year. In millions of years into the future, continents that now have a vast ocean between them might be connected. Convergent plates, even moving very slowly, can cause many destructive earthquakes, some that can cause ocean wide tsunamis. You know when there is a convergent plate boundary when you see a ridge. Wherever there is a ridge, there is a convergent plate boundary.
Divergent Plate Boundaries
Here, the two plates on the plate boundary will gradually move away from each other, the exact opposite of what a convergent plate boundary does. Divergent plate boundaries will cause mid ocean trenches. A famous example of this is the Atlantic mid ocean trench. The two plates on either side contain one continent each: South America and Africa. If you had a tracker on both continents, you would notice that every year they move away from each other. Divergent plate boundaries tend to move faster, speeding the process up. But they only move about four centimeters more than a convergent plate boundary moves every year.
There is also another plate boundary called a transforming plate boundary. Transforming plate boundaries are slightly similar to divergent plate boundaries. On each one, two plates move away from each other. But I will talk about them in a later time.
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