Plate Boundaries

Convergent (Subduction vs Collision):
When two plates move toward each other they collide resulting with a convergent plate boundary.


Subduction;
When a continental plate and an oceanic plate collide, subduction occurs. The oceanic plate sinks under the continental plate as it is denser. The crust carrying the ocean melts underneath at the subduction zone due to the immense friction and high heat of the magma. The impact of the collision also causes cracks to form in the crust.As the magma continues to rise up the cracks, it escapes onto the surface and solidifies, building up a volcano. Also, oceanic trenches and mountains form.

Collision:
When Two Continental Plates Converge;
One plate will be forced only slightly under the other, but no subduction will take place. Thus, the pressing together of two plates will fold the crust and form mountains.
When Two Oceanic Plates Converge;
Similarly, when one oceanic plate converge, the other oceanic plate may subduct beneath the other.Magma will then rise up to form volcanoes.

Divergent:
A divergent plate movement occurs when two plates move away from each other. Magma from the mantle underneath the crust to rise up the surface to cool and solidify at the plate boundary.
Divergent takes place at the boundary of the oceanic plates and forms new sea floor. This process is called sea-floor spreading.
As magma rises up to the surface, it piles up and solidifies, slowly forming a long chain of moutains on the ocean floor, called an oceanic ridge.
Volcanoes can also form undersea at these divergent boundaries, they are volcanoes. HOTSPOTS?????

Transform :
A transform plate movement is one where two plates slide laterally past each other. However, movement is not smooth due to friction between the rocks of the two plates. Since the convection currents of the underlying magma are still dragging the plates, much tension and pressure is built up at the transform boundary. When there is sufficient buildup of pressure, rocks in the plates break and get jerked apart. This results in earthquakes.