Sarah Sherman

Mrs. Patty
Science H
11/21/16

Map Research Project

1. I claim that the Arabian plate and the Eurasian plate are examples of
convergent boundaries between two continental plates. I know this because
lots of high elevation is found here, around 800-3200 meters. This means
there are mountains occurring at the boundary. Also earthquakes are
happening. Mostly all shallow earthquakes ranging from 0-70 km deep. This
is a convergent boundary because only mountains can form at convergent
boundaries between two continental plates. Mountains occur here because
they are two continental plates that have the same density. One of the
plates isnt denser than the other plate so they cannot sub duct they have to
push upwards. Earthquakes happen here because the plates are pushing
against each other and colliding which has some grinding against each other.
These earthquakes dont happen deep in the ground because the plates are
colliding at the surface.
2. I claim that the Pacific and North American plates are examples of a
convergent boundary between an oceanic and a continental plate. I know
this because lots of earthquakes happen here that are close to the surface
and also deep in the ground. The closest to the surface range from 0-70 km
deep. The deepest in the ground range from 70-700km deep. Lots of
volcanoes occur here also. These earthquakes happen on land only.
Volcanoes are happening because the oceanic plates are sub ducting under

the continental plates. The crust starts to melt when it sub ducts and the
magma rises through the continental plate creating volcanoes on land. Since
the grinding of the plates are happening below the surface, the earthquakes
are deeper and more dangerous. The earthquakes and the volcanoes
indicate that this is a convergent boundary because volcanoes cannot occur
at transform of divergent boundaries.
3. I claim that the Pacific and Australian plates are convergent boundaries
between two oceanic plates. I know this because earthquakes that are
shallow and deep occur here. The deep earthquakes range from 300-700 km.
The earthquakes that are closest to the surface are 0-33 km deep. Volcanoes
occur here because when its convergent between two oceanic plates, the
denser plate sub ducts underneath the less dense plate and then it melts the
crust to form magma and volcanic islands. Earthquakes happen at this
boundary because the older and denser plate is sub ducting under the
younger and less dense plate. These earthquakes in the ocean also cause
tsunamis because its forming big waves from the plates shifting.
4. I claim the Eurasian and Indian plates are convergent boundaries between
two continental plates. I know this because the elevation map shows the
plate boundary as the highest part which was 8,000 meters above sea level.
Also earthquakes occur here that are shallow and deep. The deep
earthquakes were 70- 300km deep. The highest to the surface were only 033 km deep. Mountains can only occur at convergent boundaries when the
plates are both continental. Two continental plates are the same density so
one cant sub duct under the other, therefore mountains occur because they
are pushing and thrusting upwards. No volcanoes show here because

volcanoes can only occur if the plates are different densities. Since the
Eurasian and Indian plates are both continental, the geography map shows
its the highest elevation, and the volcanology map shows that there are no
volcanoes, this indicates they are convergent boundaries between two
continental plates.
5. I claim that the Nazos and South American plate are examples of a
convergent boundary between and oceanic and a continental plate. I know
this because the volcanology map shows there are many volcanoes that
occur at the boundary. These volcanoes only happen on land. Another piece
of evidence is that there are shallow and deep earthquakes. These
earthquakes also only occur on land. The shallow earthquakes were only 033km deep, but the boundary also had very deep earthquakes that were
300-700 km deep. The volcanoes only happened on land because when
subduction happens, the more dense plate sub ducts under the less dense
one. This means the oceanic plate sub ducts under the continental. This
creates the land volcanoes because its moving the magma up through the
continental. The earthquakes occur here because they are subduction so
that means the plates are hitting and grinding with each other.
6.

I claim that the African and south American plates are divergent boundaries
between oceanic plates. New sea floor is shown on the geochronology map
between the plates. The youngest sea floor is 0.0-9.7 million years. The
oldest is 83.5- 120.4 million years old that is on the coast lines nearest to the
continental plate. The geography map shows the mid-oceanic ridge. Mid
oceanic ridges occur because when the tow oceanic plates diverge, magma
comes out of the middle. When the magma hardens, which is fairly quick, it

becomes new crust. The new crust pushes the older crust out and the older
crust meets with the continental is makes a convergent boundary. Since
there is new sea floor occurring because of this boundary I can infer that the
plates are a divergent boundary because this is the only boundary that new
crust is formed.