PLATE BOUNDARIES

Part A: Converging Continental Plate and Oceanic Plate Objectives:

• Explain the processes that occur along convergent boundaries.
• Determine the consequences of colliding plates.
Procedure: 1. Study Figure 10 showing a cross-sectional diagram of plates that are converging,
and answer the questions that follow.

Figure 10. Cross-sectional diagram of converging continental and oceanic plates

Guide Questions:
1. What type of plate is Plate A? What about Plate B? Why do you say so?
Plate A is an oceanic plate because it is denser and thinner than Plate B, while Plate B is a
continental plate, because it is less dense and thicker than Plate A.
2. Describe what happens to Plate A as it collides with Plate B? Why?
As Plate A collides with Plate B, it will decrease. This is because it is denser than Plate B.
3. What do you think may happen to the leading edge of Plate A as it continues to move
downward? Why?
I think that if Plate A continues to move downward, its leading edge will melt and turn into
a molten material.
4. What do you call this molten material?
This molten material is called magma or lava. It is a combination of melted materials and
other minerals that come out from volcanic eruption.
5. What is formed on top of Plate B?
On top of Plate B, volcanoes are formed.
6. As the plates continue to grind against each other, what other geologic event could take place?
When the plates continue to grind against each other, they’ll create a high form of land like
mountain range or other high type of land, earthquake, or sink holes.

Part B: Convergence of Two Oceanic Plates

Procedure:
1. Study Figure 11. It shows a cross-section of two converging oceanic plates.
2. Using your knowledge gained from the previous activity, identify the geologic events or
features resulting from this collision.
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Figure 11. Cross-sectional diagram of converging oceanic plates
Guide Questions:
7. What are the geologic processes/events that will occur because of this plate movement?
It is because of these currents that the plates of the Earth have moved in the past and are
moving today. These plate movements cause earthquakes, mountain building, and volcanism.
8. What geologic features might form at the surface of Plate A?
The geologic features that might form at the surface of Plate A are trenches or formation of
volcanic island arcs.
9. If the edge of Plate A suddenly flicks upward, a large amount of water may be displaced. What
could be formed at the surface of the ocean?
If the edge of Plate A suddenly flicks upward, tsunami will form at the surface of the ocean
because this plate is located under the ocean.

C. Complete the concept map using the terms in the list below.
mid-ocean ridges volcanic islands major earthquakes
rift valleys deep-sea trenches volcanic mountains

Plate Boundaries
include include
include
convergent transform

divergent

cause
form

form
major earthquakes
rift valleys mid-ocean ridges

deep-sea trenches and volcanic islands and volcanic mountains