3.2 Moving plates

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

1.1 Mountain ranges

Learning objectives

After studying this section, you will be able to:

• Explain why earth’s tectonic plates move.
• Which directions are responsible for the formation of mountain ranges

Which endogenous process moves the tectonic plates?

1. Oceanic ridge.
2. Divergence.
3. Convergence.
4. Convection currents.

Plates moving apart

Divergent plate boundary

Two tectonic plates which move apart (← →).

Oceanic ridge

Underwater mountains formed by a divergent plate boundary.

The Mid Atlantic Ridge is visible in Iceland.

Plates moving towards each other

Convergent plate boundary

Tectonic plates which move towards each other (→ ←). 

Mountain ranges
are created:

Areas which contain a lot of mountains.

Plates moving towards each other

Convergent boundaries also occur between oceanic plates and continental plates:

Subduction = Process where the oceanic plate dives under the continental plate.

Trench = Deep and narrow gap on the ocean floor. Formed by the subduction process.

Collision zone = A convergent boundary between two continental plates.

Fold mountains

Large mountains formed by  the collision between two continental plates. 

What kind of plate boundary
can we find where two tectonic plates move towards each other?

1. Divergent plate boundary.
2. Convergent plate boundary.
3. Transform plate boundary.

What do we call the process when an oceanic plate moves underneath a continental plate?

1. Subduction.
2. Collision.
3. Oceanic ridge.
4. Divergence.

Convection currents

Convection currents rise up due to the heat in the inner core of the earth. It's the process which moves the tectonic plates.

Endogenous force = Force from within the earth.

In which directions do tectonic plates move?

Which two directions are responsible for the formation of mountain ranges?

Work

Read 1.1

Do 1.1 ex.