12. Plate Tectonics
Mechanism of Plate Tectonics
• Material in asthenosphere heats and rises• When it cools it moves horizontally and sinks• This movement of material is called
convection cells
Divergent
-Rift Zone-Plates moving apart-Sea Floor created-Mid Ocean Ridges
Convergent
-Subduction Zones-Plates moving toward each other-Seafloor destroyed-Creates trenches & Volcanic Island Arcs
Transform
• Plates move past each other
• Faults are formed
Example of Transform: San Andreas
Ring of Fire• Around Pacific Ocean• Greatest quantity of earthquakes/volcanoes• Ring (outer edge of) Pacific Plate is full of faults
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