Cluster 4 | Tectonics

Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics

1.4 Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

Tectonics Cluster
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

Learning Overview
In this sub-topic you will learn:
• What happens at plate boundaries when tectonic plates
move.

Key Points
At divergent plate boundaries.
o Plates move away fromeach other.
o Resultsin mid-ocean ridges, volcanoes including
submarine volcanoes and volcanic islands, riftsystems
and earthquakes.
• At convergent plate boundaries.
o Plates move towards each other.
o Resultsin fold mountains, volcanoes including submarine
volcanoes, oceanic trenches and earthquakes.
• At transform plate boundaries.
o Plates slide past each other.
o Resultsin faults and earthquakes.

Content Concepts
• Volcano: Landform created when lava erupts onto the
Earth's surface.
• Riftvalley: Linear lowland region with steep sides,
• Earthquake: Shaking of the ground due to the sudden
release of energy when two plates suddenly slip past each
other,
• Fold mountain: Mountains that are formed due to two
converging plates that cause the Earth's layers to fold,
• Fault: A fracture along which the blocks of crust on either
side have moved relative to one another.

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Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

What are the differenttectonic plate boundaries?

• Tectonic plates (oceanic and continental) at differentplate

are associated with plate movements that are: b0Undaries
1. Divergent,
2. Convergent, or
3. Transform.

1. Divergent plate boundary is where two tectonic plates move apart.

Examples:
• Oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary between the North
American Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
• Continental-continental divergent plate boundary between the
Nubian Plate and Somalian Plate.

2. Convergent plate boundary is where two tectonic plates move

towards each other.
Examples:
• Oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundary between the
Philippine Plate and the Pacific Plate.
• Continental-continental convergent plate boundary betweenthe
Eurasian Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate.
• Oceanic-continental convergent plate boundary between the
Nazca Plate and the South American Plate.

each
3. Transformplate boundary is where two tectonic plates slide past
other.
Example:
North
• San Andreas Fault where the Pacific Plate slides past the
American Plate.

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 Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

Whathappens at divergent plate boundaries?

• Tectonic plates are moving away from each other, resulting in

mid-ocean ridges, volcanoes including submarine volcanoes and
volcanic islands, riftsystems, and earthquakes.

Oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundaries.

• Figure 1 shows two oceanic plates moving apart.

Mid-ocean ridge and volcanoes

Figure 1: A diagram of two oceanic plates moving apart.

1. Two oceanic plates move apart.

2. The decrease in overlying pressure causes parts of the underlying
mantle to melt, forming magma.
3. Magma rises through weak areas in the crust to the Earth's surface,
and fillsgaps caused by the spreading plates.
Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

• Lava cools and solidifiesto form basaltic rocks.

• The rocks make up a new oceanic crust.
• An extensive underwater mountain chain - the mid-ocean ridge - forms.
Example:
o The oceanic North American Plate and oceanic Eurasian Plate move
apart.
o This forms the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
• At the centre of the ridge is a deep riftvalley with steep sides.
• Magma rises through weak areas in the crust to the Earth's surface.
forming submarine volcanoes.
• After many eruptions, the volcanoes may break the surface of the
ocean to form volcanic islands, such as in Surtsey,Iceland.
• Earthquakes also occur here due to the stressand tension released
when plates move.

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 Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries
Continental-continental divergent plate boundaries.

• Figure 2 shows two continental plates moving apart.

Riftvalley

Figure 2: Diagrams showing two continental plates moving apart.

I . Two continental plates move apart.

2. Rocks eventually fracture to form parallel faults.
3. The rock between these faults collapses to form a deep riftvalley
with steep sides.
4. As the plates move apart, the decrease in overlying pressurecauses
parts of the underlying mantle to melt, forming magma. Magma
rises through weak areas in the crust to the Earth's surface, forming
volcanoes.
• Earthquakes occur as stressand tension are released when plates
move.
Example:
o The Nubian Plate pulls apart from the Somalian Plate.
o This forms the Great Rift Valley.
o Examples of volcanoes formed: Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro.

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Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at different plate boundaries

What happens at convergent plate boundaries? I. Twooceanic pla

2. The denser plate
3. This forms a
• Tectonic plates are moving towards each other, resulting in fold 4. As the subductin
mountains,volcanoes including submarine volcanoes, oceanic water out of its o
trenches, and earthquakes. overlying mantle
• There are three kinds of convergent plate boundaries: 5. Magma rises thrc
o Oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundaries. 6. This forms a chair
o Continental-continental convergent plate boundaries.
o Oceanic-continental convergent plate boundaries.
• Friction along the s
to occur.
Oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundaries. Example:
o The oceanic Pac
Plate.
• Figure 3 shows two oceanic plates moving towards each other. o Thisforms the Mc
the Mariana Islar
o n island

Volcano
Oceanic trench Contine

Figure 3: A diagram showing oceanic-oceanic convergent

plate boundary.

I. Two conthentc
2. Subdoction do
buoyant to sue
 Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
I .4 Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries
I. Two oceanic plates collide.
2. The denser plate subducts beneath the other plate.
3. This forms a deep depression known as an oceanic trench.
4. As the subducting plate sinksinto the mantle, the high pressureforces
water out of its oceanic crust. Water lowers the melting point of the
overlying mantle, causing it to melt, forming magma.
5. Magma rises through weak areas in the crust to the Earth's surface.
6. Thisforms a chain of volcanoes, known as a volcanic island.

• Frictionalong the subducting oceanic plate also causes earthquakes

to occur.
Example:
o The oceanic Pacific Plate subducts beneath the oceanic Philippine
Plate.
o Thisforms the Mariana Trench, as well as volcanic islands known as
the Mariana Islands.
o Guam, an island near the Mariana Trench, commonly experiences
earthquakes.

Continental-continental convergent plate boundaries.

• Figure 4 shows two continental plates moving towards each other.

Fold mountains

04

Figure 4: A diagram showing continental-continental convergent

plate boundary.

I. Two continental plates collide,

2. Subduction does not take place because continental plates are too
buoyant to subduct.

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Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries

3. Enormous pressure causes the rocks to be uplifted and buckled to

form fold mountains.
• Friction along the convergent plate boundary also causes earthquakes
to occur.
• Magma does not rise to the surface, hence no volcanoes are formed.
Example:
o Continental Indo-AustralianPlate converges withthe continental
Eurasian Plate.
o This forms the Himalayan Mountain range.
o This area experiences many earthquakes, such as the devastating
2015 Nepal earthquake.

Oceanic-continental convergent plate boundaries.

• Figure 5 shows an oceanic plate and a continental plate moving

towards each other.

Volcano
Fold mountains

Oceanic trench

convergent plate
showing
Figure 5: A diagram boundary.

with a continental plate.

. An oceanic plate collides
subducts beneath the continentalplate.
oceanic plate
2. The denser oceanic trench in the subduction zone. forces
3. Thisforms an sinksinto the mantle, the high pressure of the
plate the melting point
4. As the subducting oceanic crust. Water lowers
water out of its causing it to melt, forming magma.
overlying mantle, in the crust to the Earth's surface,
through weak areas
5. Magma rises plate.
on the continental plate causes earthquakes
volcanoes
forming
along the subducting oceanic
0 Friction
to occur.

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 Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries
6. Enormous pressure at this plate boundary causes rocks on the
continental plate to be uplifted and buckled, formingfold mountains.
Example:
o Oceanic Nazca Plate converges with the continental South
American Plate.
o Denser Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate,
forming:
The Peru-Chile trench.
The Andes fold mountain range.
The Nevado del Ruizvolcano.
o Earthquakes are also common here, such as the 2010 Chile
earthquake.

What happens at transformplate boundaries?

• Tectonic plates slide past each other.

• No crust is created or destroyed (see Figure 6).

Fault

Figure 6: A diagram showing two plates sliding past each other

at a transformplate boundary.

• Stresscaused by the plate movement produces a fault, which is a zone

of fractures.
• Earthquakes occur here as one plate suddenly slipspast another.
• Magma does not rise to Earth's surface. hence there are no volcanoes,
Example:
o Pacific Plate sliding past the NorthAmerican plate,
o Thisformsthe San Andreas Fault in California, USA.
o Earthquakes are common here, such as the 1989Loma Prieta
earthquake in California.

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Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries

Summary:

Type of plate boundary Tectonic Examples

phenomena
Divergent Oceanic- • Mid-ocean • Oceanic North
oceanic ridge. American plate
• volcanoes. moving away from
• Rift valleys. oceanic Eurasian
• Earthquakes. plate forming:
o Mid-Atlantic Ridge
(mid-ocean ridge).
o Surtsey Island
(volcanic island).
Continental- • Rift valley. • Nubian plate moving
continental • Volcanoes. away from Somalian
• Earthquakes. plate forming:
o East African Rift
Valley (riftvalley).
o Mount Kenya,
Mount Kilimanjaro
(volcanoes).
• Oceanic . pacific plate
Convergent Oceanic- converging with
oceanic trench.
• Volcanoes. Philippines plate,
• Earthquakes. forming:
o Mariana Trench
(oceanic trench).
o Mariana Islands
(volcanic islands).
o Guam, an island
near the Mariana
Trench, commonly
experiences
earthquakes.
• Indian Plate
Continental- • Fold converging with
continental mountains.
• Earthquakes. Eurasian Plate,
forming:
o Himalayas (fold
mountainrange).
0 2015Nepal
earthquake.

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 Cluster 4 | Tectonics
Topic 1 | Plate Tectonics
1.4 Tectonic processes at differentplate boundaries

Type of plate boundary Tectonic Examples

phenomena
Convergent Oceanic- • Oceanic • Oceanic Nazca Plate
continental trench. converging with
• Volcanoes. continental South
Fold American Plate,
mountains. forming:
• Earthquakes. o Peru-Chile trench
(oceanic trench).
o Andes (fold
mountainrange).
o Nevado del Ruiz
(volcano).
0 2010 Chile
earthquake.
Transform Faults. NorthAmerican plate
Earthquakes. sliding past Pacific
Plate, producing:
o San Andreas Fault,
California, USA.
0 1989Loma Prieta
Earthquake in
California, USA.

Figure 7: Summary table for tectonic processes.

To access the learning materialson tectonic

processes at differentplate boundaries on the
Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS),scan
1 the QR code or type the following URL:
https://go.gov.sg/usgka040

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