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 * Dynamic Earth Wiki **



There are some major plates and many more smaller plates. The major plates are pictured above. The plates make up the lithosphere. Most of the earth's activity comes from when the plates meet or divide.

Plate Boundaries 1. Transform Plate Boundaries are where two plates slide past each other. Most are found in oceans. Transform faults are most commonly locations of recurring earthquake activity. The San Andreas Fault is one of the most common transform faults.



2. Divergent Plate Boundaries are where two plates are moving away from each other. The Mid Atlantic Ridge is the best example of a divergent plate boundary. Divergent plate boundaries can cause underwater mountain ranges, volcanic activity such as fissure eruptions, shallow earthquake activity and creation of a new sea floor as well as a widening of the ocean basin.

3. Convergent Plate Boundaries is when lithospheric plates are moving towards one another. These can produce earthquakes, volcanic activity, and crystal deformation. The Washington-Oregon coastline is a great example of a convergent plate boundary.

"Convergent Plate Boundaries." //Geology.com//. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . "Divergent Plate Boundaries." //Geology.com//. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . ** "Plate Tectonics." //National Geographic//. National Geographic Society, 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . "Transform Plate Boundaries." //Geology.com//. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. . Underextim8d,. //Tectonic Plates//. 2009. //Flickr//. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. .
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