What are the three types of plate boundaries, and what surface features are characteristic of each?
What are the three types of plate boundaries, and what surface
features are characteristic of each?
At Divergent plate boundaries, two plates diverge from each other. e.g., the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and East Pacific Rise. The ridges and rift valleys are surface features of divergent plate boundaries.
At Convergent plate boundaries, plates slide toward each other or one plate of comparatively high density subducts under another of comparatively low density. Trenches, volcanic mountains are surface features of convergent plate boundaries.
Oceanic lithospheric plate subducting into continental lithosphere. Volcanic arc mountains are surface features of convergent plate boundaries e.g. the Andes Mountains, South America, and the Cascade Mountains, Western United States.
Oceanic lithospheric plate of comparatively high density subducts under another Oceanic lithospheric plate of comparatively low density. Island arc mountains are surface features of such convergent plate boundaries Examples are Aleutian Islands, Mariana Islands, and the Japanese island arc.
If two plates are of similar density then continent-continent collision occurs resulting in the formation of folded mountain belt. Indian plate colliding with Eurasian plate forming Himalayan folded mountain belt.
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