A divergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other. Along these boundaries, earthquakes are common and magma (molten rock) rises from the Earth’s mantle to the surface, solidifying to create new oceanic crust.

When two plates are moving away from each other, we call this a divergent plate boundary. Along these boundaries, magma rises from deep within the Earth and erupts to form new crust on the lithosphere.

Most divergent plate boundaries are underwater (Iceland is an exception), and form submarine mountain ranges called oceanic spreading ridges. While the process is volcanic, volcanoes and earthquakes along oceanic spreading ridges are not as violent as they are at convergent plate boundaries. View the 3-dimensional structure of

Mid-ocean ridges occur along divergent plate boundaries, where new ocean floor is created as the Earth’s tectonic plates spread apart. As the plates separate, molten rock rises to the seafloor, producing enormous volcanic eruptions of basalt.

example of a transform plate boundary is the San Andreas fault in California. Where tectonic plates are moving apart, they form a divergent plate boundary. At these boundaries, magma (molten rock) rises from deep within the Earth and erupts to form new crust on the litho-sphere. Most divergent plate boundaries are under-

Between the Mariana Trench and the island volcanoes, huge mud volcanoes provide a window into the boundary between two tectonic plates that have been colliding for over 50 million years and harbor unique communities of organisms that thrive in the most extreme fluid composition recorded in the oceans.

example of a transform plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault in California. Where tectonic plates are moving apart, they form a divergent plate boundary. At these bound-aries, magma (molten rock) rises from deep within the Earth and erupts to form new crust on the lithosphere. Most divergent plate boundaries

This long geologic history of plate boundary activity has created a complex undersea terrain that remains largely unexplored. The region has high seismicity and a history of high magnitude earthquakes (Figure 1), including a magnitude 7.5 earthquake centered northwest of Puerto Rico in 1943 and magnitude 8.1 and 6.9 earthquakes north of ...

1. Review plate tectonics and continental drift. Be sure students understand the idea of convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries, as well as the types of earthquakes and volcanic activity associated with each kind of boundary: strong earthquakes and explosive volcanoes at convergent boundaries; slow-flowing volcanoes,

example of a transform plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault in California. Where tectonic plates are moving apart, they form a divergent plate boundary. At these bound-aries, magma (molten rock) rises from deep within the Earth and erupts to form new crust on the lithosphere. Most divergent plate boundaries