(LECTURE NOTEBOOK)

ACTIVITY 3A

During the convergence of an oceanic plate and a continental plate, the denser oceanic
plate slides under the continental plate. This process is called subduction.

Geologic events such as formation of volcanoes and trenches as well as occurrence of

earthquake will take place because of this process.

ACTIVITY 3B

When two oceanic plates converge they also undergo subduction process. This gives rise
to the formation volcanic island arcs, trenches and generates shallow, intermediate, or
deep earthquakes.

Strong earthquakes generated at the ocean floor may cause displacement of large volume
of water and launch big waves called tsunami.

ACTIVITY 3C

When two continental plates meet head-on, neither is subducted. Instead, the crust tends
to buckle and be pushed upward causing formation of mountain ranges and other
highlands.

ACTIVITY 4

Divergent boundaries occur along spreading centers where plates are moving apart and
new crust is created by magma pushing up from the mantle.

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.

If a divergent boundary is between continental plates, the effects are: rift valley formation
which will soon develop into linear sea; shallow earthquake activities, and numerous
normal faults.

ACTIVITY 5

Transform-fault boundaries are where two plates are sliding horizontally past one another.

Most transform faults are found on the ocean floor. They commonly offset active
spreading ridges, producing zig-zag plate margins, and are generally defined by shallow
earthquakes
ACTIVITY 6
A “hot spot” is an area in the mantle from which hot materials rise as a thermal plume.

High heat and lower pressure at the base of the lithosphere (tectonic plate) facilitates
melting of the rock. This melt, called magma, rises through cracks and erupts to form
volcanoes.

As the tectonic plate moves over the stationary hot spot, the volcanoes are rafted away
and new ones form in their place. This results in chains of volcanoes, such as the
Hawaiian Islands.

Summary/Synthesis/Feedback

According to the plate tectonics model, the entire lithosphere of the Earth is broken into
numerous segments called plates.
Each plate is slowly but continuously moving.
As a result of the motion of the plates, three types of plate boundaries were formed:
Divergent, Convergent, and Transform fault boundaries
Divergent boundary is formed when plates move apart, creating a zone of tension.
Convergent boundary is present when two plates collide.
Transform fault is characterized by plates that are sliding past each other.
Plate tectonics give rise to several geologic features and events.