3.2: Tectonics Defined
- Page ID
- 33714
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Much of the attention we devote to plates is focused on their boundaries, where much of their dynamic action takes place. That this dynamic action is located at the plate boundaries was the insight that led to the second part of the name: tectonics. This word means "action" in the sense of “building” or “constructing” things – specifically building belts of mountains.
So in literal translation, the phrase plate tectonics means “building [mountain belts] using plates” but in current usage by scientists, the theory of plate tectonics covers much more than just mountains. It also encompasses our understanding of volcanically active chains of islands, ocean formation, earthquake locations, and more. There are three types of plate boundaries based on the relative motion between the neighboring plates.
- convergent boundary - two plates move toward one another
- divergent boundary - two plates move away from one another
- transform boundary - two plates slide past one another
The dynamics of their relative motion end up determining which suite of geological processes and phenomena results.
- convergent boundary - plate boundary type at which the two plates move toward one another
- divergent boundary - plate boundary type at which the two plates move away from one another
- transform boundary - plate boundary type at which the two plates slide past one another