Plate Boundaries

Plate Boundaries

Constructive Boundaries

• At constructive boundaries, two tectonic plates are moving apart.
• This can lead to volcanic activity as magma rises to fill the gap, creating new crust.
• Examples of constructive boundaries include the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Destructive Boundaries

• In destructive boundaries, one tectonic plate is forced underneath another, in a process called subduction.
• The crust melts into magma, leading to volcanic activity.
• An example of destructive boundary is the coast of South America, where the Nazca plate is subducting beneath the South American plate.

Conservative Boundaries

• At conservative boundaries, plates slide past each other without the creation or destruction of crust.
• They can cause earthquakes due to the release of tension as the plates move.

Collision Boundaries

• Collision boundaries occur where tectonic plates containing continental crust move towards each other.
• This causes the crust to crumple and fold, forming mountains.
• An example of a collision boundary is the Himalayas, where the Indian and Eurasian plates are colliding.

Remember: Constructive = apart, Destructive = together, Subduction = under, Conservative = slide, Collision = together.