tectonic boundaries
Crustal division zones
Tectonic boundaries are the edges where Earth's crustal plates meet.
These zones produce most earthquakes and volcanic activity as plates collide, separate, or slide past each other.
The three main types—convergent, divergent, and transform—explain mountain formation, ocean trenches, and rift valleys: The San Andreas Fault lies along a tectonic boundary.
- subduction zoneWhere one plate slides under another
- oceanic trenchDeepest seafloor depression
- mid-ocean ridgeSubmarine volcanic mountain range
- seismic activityUnderground geological movement
- continental driftGradual landmass repositioning
volcanic arc · mountain building · hydrothermal vents · orogeny · San Andreas Fault · fault line · faulting · Ring of Fire · earthquake zone · lithosphere