DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES

THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS

⦿ The theory of plate tectonics

states that Earth’s crust and
rigid upper mantle are broken
into enormous slabs called
plates
⦿ These plates interact with each
other at areas called plate
boundaries

THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS

○ Types of plate boundaries: ○ Features found at plate boundaries:
● Divergent ● Volcanoes
● Convergent ● Earthquakes
● Transform ● Deep Sea Trenches
● Mid-Ocean Ridges

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES

○ Divergent – Plate boundary where 2 lithospheric
plates are moving apart
● Divergent Oceanic
● Divergent Continental

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES

○ Divergent Oceanic – Area where 2 oceanic plates
are pulling apart
● Magma from the mantle is rising and is splitting the
plates apart
● Results in:
○ Volcanoes
○ Earthquakes
○ Mid-Ocean Ridge

MID-OCEAN RIDGE
o Mid-Ocean Ridge-Underwater
mountain chain formed as a
result of seafloor spreading
• Magma rises from mantle, cool
and forms rock ! Results in
mountains
• Mid-Atlantic Ridge – Mid-
Ocean Ridge forming down the
middle of the Atlantic Ocean
• Iceland formed along the Mid-
Atlantic Ridge

DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES

○ Divergent Continental – Place where 2 continental plates
are pulling apart
● Results in a rift valley
● East Africa