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Plate Tectonics Collage Kordel Koistinen
This is a picture of the San Andreas Fault in California. It is a transform-fault boundary. Transform-fault boundaries occur when two plates slide horizontally next to each other. Along this area the Pacific Plate has been grinding against the North American Plate. This has been happening for approximately 10 million years.
This is a picture of Mt. Elbert. It is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains. They were made by a process called subducting. The ocean plate went underneath the American Plate. Then it raised up and formed the Rockies.
This is a picture of a mid-ocean-ridge. This is in Thingvellir Lake in Iceland. This is the picture of the rift or the valley running along the middle of the ridge. These are made when convection currents form magma where two tectonic plates meet. Then the magma pushes upward to create something that looks like a mountain range. In some places the magma leaks through and makes vents.
This is a picture of sea-floor spreading. This is in Afar, Ethiopia. It is the only place where sea-floor spreading occurs on land. This happens at mid-ocean ridges where new crust is formed. Two plates move apart and let magma through. Then the magma pushes the old magma farther away from the ridge.
This is an image that shows all of the tectonic plate boundaries. The Earth has 14 major tectonic plates. Also the Earth has 38 minor plates. The Earth’s crust is sometimes referred to as an eggshell. They refer to this because the Earth’s crust is split into plates that look kind of like a cracked egg.
This is a picture of a Divergent Plate boundary. This happens when magma from inside Earth pushes up between tow plates. Then the plates pull apart and let the magma through. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a good example of a divergent plate boundary. Mid-Ocean ridges are usually formed by divergent plates.
