GED Social Studies TestGeography and the WorldHard
A geographer is studying a region where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart, leading to the formation of a long, narrow depression and associated volcanic activity. This geological process is indicative of which type of plate boundary?
- ATransform boundary
- BDivergent boundary
- CConvergent boundary
- DSubduction zone
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Divergent boundary
Divergent plate boundaries occur where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, causing the crust to stretch and thin, often resulting in rift valleys (long, narrow depressions) and volcanic activity as magma rises to fill the gap.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Transform boundaries involve plates sliding past each other horizontally, causing earthquakes but little volcanism.
- C. Convergent boundaries involve plates colliding, leading to mountain building or subduction.
- D. A subduction zone is a specific type of convergent boundary where one plate slides beneath another.
Divergent Plate Boundary
A divergent plate boundary is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other, resulting in the upwelling of magma and the formation of new crust.
- Plates pull apart (diverge).
- Associated with rift valleys, mid-oceanic ridges, and volcanism.
- Creates new oceanic crust.
Memory trick: Plates 'collide', 'divide', or 'slide' to shape the world.