Geology-Plate tectonics - Assignment Example

Q1: Please explain for the following settings the type of crust involved, direction of movement, types of geological structures that are created in that setting and geological processes that take place there. No more than a 2-4 sentences are needed per term. Divergent boundaries: Two plates move away from each other and the space gets filled with molten magma crust. The process is known as hotspot and the geological structure created is known as triple junctions.Continental-Continental:  Divergent boundaries occurring on a continental-continental basis produces rifts which leads to formation of rift valleys.

Oceanic-Oceanic: the diverging movement (movement away) occurs between oceanic-plates, the structure thus formed is known as mid-oceanic ridge. Convergent boundaries: Also known as destructive plate boundary is a subduction. It is a deforming region in which two tectonic plates (or lithosphere fragments) move towards each other. Due to collision and friction, mantle heats up and melts plates. This activity is accompanied by earthquakes and volcanoes. Himalayan structure was formed as a result of convergent boundaries.

Oceanic-Continental: During this activity an oceanic plate collides with less-dense continental plate. As a result of greater buoyancy of continental plate, the oceanic plate gets thrust underneath the former plate. Thus, a subduction zone is formed. Western coast of South America is an example. Oceanic-Oceanic:  An island arc is created when two oceanic plates collide. One plate gets sub ducted under the other. Continental-Continental: In case two continental plates collide, the plates compress, buckle or one plate dives under the other.

The structures thus formed are huge mountain ranges.  Q2: State where you could go to see examples of the following structures. One example per structure will suffice. Mid-Ocean Ridge: Mid-Atlantic Ridge.  Basin and Range topography: Tibetan Plateau and Aegean Sea Plate. Island Arcs: Kuril Islands and Japanese Archipelago. Deep-sea trenches: Mariana Trench lies east of the Mariana Islands in the western North Pacific Ocean; its deepest point goes 11,034 meters (about 36,200 feet) down the surface.

 Coastal volcanic chains: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Lesser Antilles. Fold Mountains: Himalayas and Alps. Subduction Zones: Mariana Islands. Triple Junctions: the junction of Red Sea.Work Cited"Deep-sea Trench (geology)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2012. ."Dynamic Earth - Himalayas - Where and How Do the Continents Deform?" Dynamic Earth - Himalayas - Where and How Do the Continents Deform? N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2012. ."Oceanic-oceanic Convergence.

" Oceanic-oceanic Convergence. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2012. .