Summary of Plate Boundaries
cool rock subjected to compressional stress
longest amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
largest maximum earthquake size
has lots of earthquakes
large mountain ranges
has oceanic oceanic and continental continental convergent boundaries
extensive volcanism
volcanism: chains of volcanoes
warm to cool rock subjected to shear stress
moderate amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
moderate maximum earthquake size
move laterally (side to side)
lithosphere is neither created or destroyed
lots of small to medium sized earthquakes
there are no volcanoes here
hot rock subjected to tensional stress
shortest amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
smallest maximum earthquake size
plates spread or move apart
mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries
all mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries, but not all divergent boundaries are mid-ocean ridges
lots of small earthquakes
lots of volcanoes
generally, non-threatening
cool rock subjected to compressional stress
longest amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
largest maximum earthquake size
has lots of earthquakes
large mountain ranges
has oceanic oceanic and continental continental convergent boundaries
extensive volcanism
volcanism: chains of volcanoes
warm to cool rock subjected to shear stress
moderate amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
moderate maximum earthquake size
move laterally (side to side)
lithosphere is neither created or destroyed
lots of small to medium sized earthquakes
there are no volcanoes here
hot rock subjected to tensional stress
shortest amount of time to accumulate stress before strain (brittle deformation) occurs
smallest maximum earthquake size
plates spread or move apart
mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries
all mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries, but not all divergent boundaries are mid-ocean ridges
lots of small earthquakes
lots of volcanoes
generally, non-threatening