Destructive plate boundaries What is it?

It is the movement of two crusts moving together (continental crust and oceanic crust) How does it work? A destructive plate boundary happens where an oceanic and continental plate move towards each other. The heavier, denser oceanic plate is forced under the continental plate. As it sinks below the continental plate the oceanic plate melts due to friction in the subduction zone. The crust becomes molten called magma. This may be forced to the surface of the earth causing a volcanic eruption. The movement of the oceanic plate is not smooth. Due to friction the plate gets stuck. Pressure then builds up. The plate will eventually slip sometimes causing an earthquake. The continental plate is crumpled by the pressure and forms fold mountains. Examples around the world South American and Nazca Plates (forming the Andes and a deep sea trench (Peru-Chile trench) The Indian plate and the Eurasian plate forming the Himalayas The Australian plate and the pacific plate forming the southern Alps in New Zealand Pacific plate and the North American plate forming the Aleutian island Pacific plate beneath the Australian plate and the Tonga plate forming complex New Zealand to New Guinea Eurasian plate and African plate formed the Pontic mountains in Turkey Juan de Fuca plate underneath the North American plate Mariana trench

The landforms created are fold mountains and ocean trench Why do volcanoes occur in destructive margins? As the plate descends it starts to melt due to the friction caused by the movement between the plates. This melted plate is now hot, liquid rock (magma). The magma rises through the gaps in the continental plate. If it reaches the surface, the liquid rock forms a volcano. Why do earthquakes occur in destructive margins? Mainly because of the angle of the converging plate into the other. When one plate collides into another it usually subducts underneath the plate, which causes uplift and many violent earthquakes. When it is an oceanic plate colliding into a continental plate, there is most likely, what we call, a subduction zone. Depending on the angle of the subduction, that determines how violent the activity on the continent. References: http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/destructive.html http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography/tectonics/revise-it/plate-boundaries http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography/tectonics/revise-it/plate-boundaries http://www.slideshare.net/tudorgeog/what-happens-at-a-destructive-plate-boundary-bv-presentation