What kind of forces act on the crust at divergent boundaries?

Asked by: Dale Drew

Answer and Explanation: Tensional forces are present at divergent boundaries. The convection currents in the upper mantle push the tectonic plates in opposite directions at divergent boundaries. Divergent plate boundaries are also known as rift zones.

What is the force called that pushes apart the divergent zone?

Ridge push (also known as gravitational sliding) or sliding plate force is a proposed driving force for plate motion in plate tectonics that occurs at mid-ocean ridges as the result of the rigid lithosphere sliding down the hot, raised asthenosphere below mid-ocean ridges.

What happens at divergent boundaries?

Divergent (Spreading):This is where two plates move away from each other. Molten rock from the mantle erupts along the opening, forming new crust. The earthquakes that occur along these zones, called spreading centers, are relatively small.

What forces occur at plate boundaries?

The forces that drive Plate Tectonics include: Convection in the Mantle (heat driven) Ridge push (gravitational force at the spreading ridges) Slab pull (gravitational force in subduction zones)

What type of force is created at a convergent boundary?

At convergent boundaries, lithospheric plates move together in collision zones where crust is either destroyed by subduction or uplifted to form mountain chains . In zones of convergence, compressional forces (i.e., compression of lithospheric plate material) dominates.

What are 3 things that are formed at a divergent boundary?

Effects that are found at a divergent boundary between oceanic plates include: a submarine mountain range such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; volcanic activity in the form of fissure eruptions; shallow earthquake activity; creation of new seafloor and a widening ocean basin.

Which of the following is associated with a divergent plate boundary?

Answer and Explanation: The features most commonly associated with divergent boundaries between tectonic plates are rift valleys, ocean ridges, fissure volcanoes, and underwater mountain chains.

How do plates move at divergent plate boundaries quizlet?

How do plates move at divergent plate boundaries? Plates move apart at divergent plate boundaries. How do plates move at convergent plate boundaries? Plates move toward one another at convergent plate boundaries.

Where do divergent plate boundaries occur?

Divergent boundaries are spreading boundaries, where new oceanic crust is created to fill in the space as the plates move apart. Most divergent boundaries are located along mid-ocean oceanic ridges (although some are on land).

Why do divergent plates move apart?

The main force driving this plate motion (although there are other lesser forces) is the “slab pull” that arises when plates sink into the mantle under their own weight at subduction zones. In divergent zones, this pulling motion uncovers the hot deep mantle rock of the asthenosphere.

What is the main driving force that causes Earth’s tectonic plates to drift?

The driving force behind plate tectonics is convection in the mantle. Hot material near the Earth’s core rises, and colder mantle rock sinks.

What are some examples of divergent boundaries?

Examples

• Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
• Red Sea Rift.
• Baikal Rift Zone – incipient plate boundary.
• East African Rift – incipient plate boundary.
• East Pacific Rise.
• Gakkel Ridge.
• Galapagos Rise.
• Explorer Ridge.

What is the basic driving force of convergent plate movement?

Many geologists argue that the force of convection is not enough to push enormous lithospheric plates like the North American plate. They suggest instead that gravity is the main driving force: Cold, dense oceanic crust sinks at subduction zones, pulling the rest of the plate with it.

What type of landforms form at divergent boundaries?

Two major landforms that are created from divergent boundaries are the rift valleys and mid-oceanic ridges.

What two interacting plates from the divergent plate boundary give at least two examples?

Divergent boundaries

• The East African Rift (Great Rift Valley) in eastern Africa.
• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge system separates the North American Plate and South American Plate in the west from the Eurasian Plate and African Plate in the east.
• The Gakkel Ridge is a slow spreading ridge located in the Arctic Ocean.

What type of force generates Ridge push?

gravity

The primary origin for ridge push forces is thought to be due to the gravity glide of the lithosphere away from the ridge, down the inclined interface with the asthenosphere. There is some controversy about magnitude of such a force.

What is the squeezing force at a convergent boundary?

compression

The squeezing force at a convergent boundary is called compression. The pulling force at a divergent boundary is called tension. The side-by-side dragging force at transform boundaries is called shear. These forces result in distinct landforms at plate boundaries.

What type of forces are evident at convergent plate boundaries quizlet?

at convergent boundaries, a squeezing force called compression exists. in contrast to convergent boundaries, transitional forces occur at divergent boundaries. compression forces pull the land apart and form rift valleys. forces that form mountains are tension forces.

Is the San Andreas Fault a divergent boundary?

The San Andreas Fault is where the Pacific plate collides with the North American plate. this is a convergent boundary.

What type of boundary is found at the San Andreas Fault?

transform plate boundary

The San Andreas fault is a transform plate boundary, accomodating horizontal relative motions.

What type of plate boundary is shown by the San Andreas Fault?

transform

According to the theory of plate tectonics, the San Andreas Fault represents the transform (strike-slip) boundary between two major plates of the Earth’s crust: the Northern Pacific to the south and west and the North American to the north and east.