Lesson 1 - Plate Boundaries

ARELLANO UNIVERSITY
S.Y. 2020-2021
Name: Score:
Grade and Section: Teacher:
Date:
GRADE 10 SCIENCE
I. CONTENT:
Concept Notes No.
“Plate Tectonics”
- Plate Boundaries
Concept Notes No.
Plate boundaries - the edges where two plates meet. Most geologic activities, including volcanoes,
earthquakes, and mountain building, take place at plate boundaries.
Three types of plate boundaries:
▶ Divergent plate boundary: the two plates move away from each other.
▶ Convergent plate boundary: the two plates move toward each other.
▶ Transform plate boundary: the two plates slip past each other.
Divergent (constructive) plate boundary
A divergent plate boundary is located between two plates that are moving apart. In this type of plate
boundary, the underlying magma rises to the surface (then called lava) filling the gap between the
separating plates and forming a chain of underwater mountains called mid-ocean ridges. The pulling
apart of plates and the insertion of lava through the gaps may result in the formation of volcanic
islands.
Most of the divergent boundaries are found on the seafloor where they form ocean ridges. An example is the
Mid-Atlantic ridge.
The seafloor spreading begins in the central rift. The process of seafloor spreading along divergent
boundary may cause an ocean basin to grow wider, which takes over millions of years. Some divergent
boundaries can form on continents. A long and narrow depression called a rift valley when the continental
crust begins to stretch and separate. This rifting may eventually lead to the formation of a new ocean
basin. An example of this is the East African rift.
Since the crust along divergent boundaries are stretched, normal faults are associated with these areas.
Earthquakes with shallow focus (0-70 km deep) and a magnitude of less than 7 occur in these regions.
Convergent(destructive) plate boundary
At a convergent plate boundary, two tectonic plates move toward each other. These two plates are of
different densities. When they converge, the denser plate sinks in to the mantle beneath the less dense
plate. This sinking process is called subduction.
Subduction of an oceanic plate beneath a continental plate causes earthquakes and forms a line of
volcanoes known as a continental arc.
Types of Convergent Boundary
 Oceanic – Continental boundary -When a continental crust collides with an oceanic crust, the oceanic
plate goes beneath the continental plate because oceanic plate is denser.
 Oceanic –oceanic boundary – where one oceanic plate subducted under another oceanic plate
 Continental –continental boundary – where a continental plate collides with a second
continental plate
Transform plate boundary
At a transform plate boundary, two plates slide horizontally past each other as they move in opposite
directions. They could happen in both oceans and continents. California’s San Andreas Fault is an
example of this type.
At transform boundaries, the two tectonic plates grind past each other in a horizontal direction. This
movement results in a crack or fracture in the Earth’s crust called fault. Thus, transform boundaries are
responsible for earthquakes.
II. OBJECTIVES:
A. Define plate boundaries
B. Identify the different types of plate boundaries;
C. Describe each type of plate boundary.
III. ASSESSMENT:
Activity 1
Identify the term being described.
1. These are the edges where two plates meet.
2. It is located between two plates that are moving apart.
3. At this boundary, two tectonic plates move towards each other.
4. At this boundary, two plates slide horizontally past each other as they move in opposite
directions.
5. This process happens when the denser plate sinks into the mantle beneath the less dense
plate
6. It is a long and narrow depression that is formed when continental crust begins to stretch
and
separate.
7. It is a type of volcanic arc occurring as an “arc shape” topographic high region along a
continental margin.
8-10 Types of Convergent Boundaries
8. Oceanic plate converging with oceanic plate
9. Oceanic plate converging with continental plate
10. Continental plate converging with continental plate
Activity No. 2
Describe the plate boundaries by filling in the table below.
Plate Boundary Type of Plates Topography Geologic Events Example/s
Involved
Divergent
Convergent
Transform
 Topography- e.g. Rift valley, mountains, mid-ocean ridge etc.

 Geologic Events – seafloor spreading, subduction, earthquakes etc.
IV. REFERENCE: Gregorio, Jay B.et al. 2018.Practical Science 10, .Diwa Learning Systems, Inc.,
pp.6-10
V. GENERALIZATION:
Plate boundaries are the edges where two plates meet. Most geologic activities, including volcanoes,
earthquakes, and mountain building, take place at plate boundaries. There are three types of plate
boundaries: divergent; convergent; and transform plate boundaries.
A divergent boundary is a feature that exists when two tectonic plates move away from each other. This
may happen to both oceanic or both continental plates. This can result to the following: rift valley
formation; widening of the ocean basin; formation of mid-ocean ridges; and formation of new ocean basin.
Earthquakes with shallow focus (0-70 km deep) and a magnitude of less than 7 also occur in this region.
A convergent plate boundary is a place where two tectonic plates move toward each other. As a result of
pressure, friction, and plate material melting in the mantle. Earthquakes and volcanoes are commonly
experienced and found, respectively, near convergent boundaries. There are three types of convergent
boundaries, classified according to the type of crust/plate involved: 1. oceanic plate converging with
continental plate, 2. Oceanic plate converging with oceanic plate, and 3. continental plate converging with
continental plate.
A transform boundary is formed when two plates slide past each other horizontally. Transform
boundaries are responsible for earthquakes. Most transform boundaries are found on the ocean floors,
however, a few also occur on land. The San Andres fault zone in California is an example of a transform
boundary.
VI. INSTITUTIONAL CORE VALUES: Equity and Stewardship

Lesson 1 - Plate Boundaries

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lesson 1 - Plate Boundaries

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lesson 1 - Plate Boundaries

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ARELLANO UNIVERSITY

Divergent (constructive) plate boundary

Convergent(destructive) plate boundary

Types of Convergent Boundary

Transform plate boundary

 Topography- e.g. Rift valley, mountains, mid-ocean ridge etc.

VI. INSTITUTIONAL CORE VALUES: Equity and Stewardship

You might also like