Plate tectonics- types of Plate boundaries

• Types of plate boundaries

  • Divergent plate Boundary/constructive margin
  • Convergent plate Boundary / Destructive margin
  • Collision margin
  • Transform plate Boundary
• Divergent plate Boundary


  1. Two plates are moving away from each other

  2. New crust is being formed

  3. Rising convection current causes the crust to crack

  4. Molten rock (magma) passes through to the surface

  5. Magma escapes as lava erupted from underwater volcanoes
• Divergent plate Boundary


  • Forms a mid-oceanic ridge
  • Can rise above the surface to form islands
• Convergent plate Boundary


  1. Two plates are moving towards each other

  2. Denser oceanic crust dives down beneath the other plate

  3. Intense heat melts and destroys the subducting plate
• Collision margin


  • Forms when two plates of continental crust collide
  • No subduction as both plates are of similar density
  • Layers in between crumble to form mountain ranges
• Powerful earthquakes are often triggered by the enormous pressures and sudden cracking of rocks at convergent plate boundaries
• There is no magma at collision margins, so there are no volcanoes
• Transform plate Boundary


  1. Two plates are sliding alongside each other

  2. Plates may be moving in opposite directions or at different speeds

  3. No subduction or creation of magma takes place
• Homework: pictures depicting plate boundaries