On Earth, the areas along plate boundaries are the most susceptible to deformation because these
places are the most exposed to being bumped and scraped by neighboring plates, or being pulled apart from them
. … Tectonic activity is fueled by sources of energy within the Earth’s interior.
What causes plates to deform?
The constant
plate
tectonic motions between the Pacific and North American
plates
guarantees that the crust in the western US is continually building up stress. Crustal
deformation
refers to the changing earth’s surface
caused
by tectonic forces that are accumulated in the crust and then
cause
earthquakes.
Why does deformation occur along plate boundaries?
As
the plates move
, the crust deforms dominantly along the plate margins. … Therefore, temperature and pressure control deformation processes. Ductile rocks tend to bend, fold, stretch, or flow due to compressional or extensional forces.
How can tectonic plates cause deformation?
Crustal deformation processes
The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s crust is made up of rigid plates that “float” on top of the mantle and move relative to one another. As the plates move, the crust deforms dominantly along the plate margins. … The zone where the crust breaks is termed a fault.
What are the main causes of deformation?
Deformation is caused
by stress
, the scientific term for force applied to a certain area. Stresses on rocks can stem from various sources, such as changes in temperature or moisture, shifts in the Earth’s plates, sediment buildup or even gravity.
What are the 3 fault types?
There are three main types of fault which can cause earthquakes:
normal, reverse (thrust) and strike-slip
. Figure 1 shows the types of faults that can cause earthquakes. Figures 2 and 3 show the location of large earthquakes over the past few decades.
In which two places do divergent boundaries occur?
Divergent boundaries are typified in the oceanic lithosphere by the rifts of the oceanic ridge system, including
the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise
, and in the continental lithosphere by rift valleys such as the famous East African Great Rift Valley.
What are the 3 main types of plate boundaries?
- Convergent boundaries: where two plates are colliding. Subduction zones occur when one or both of the tectonic plates are composed of oceanic crust. …
- Divergent boundaries – where two plates are moving apart. …
- Transform boundaries – where plates slide passed each other.
Do transform boundaries cause volcanoes?
Volcanoes do not typically occur at transform boundaries
. One of the reasons for this is that there is little or no magma available at the plate boundary. The most common magmas at constructive plate margins are the iron/magnesium-rich magmas that produce basalts.
What are the 3 causes of plate movement?
Mantle dynamics, gravity, and Earth’s rotation taken
altogether causes the plate movements. However, convectional currents are the general thought for the motion.
What are the three types of tectonic stress?
The three main types of stress are typical of the three types of plate boundaries:
compression at convergent boundaries, tension at divergent boundaries, and shear at transform boundaries
.
What are the types of deformation?
When a rock is subjected to increasing stress it passes through 3 successive stages of deformation.
Elastic Deformation
— wherein the strain is reversible. Ductile Deformation — wherein the strain is irreversible. Fracture – irreversible strain wherein the material breaks.
What causes stress on tectonic plates?
Compression
squeezes rocks together, causing rocks to fold or fracture. Compression is the most common stress at convergent plate boundaries. Rocks that are pulled apart are under tension. Rocks under tension lengthen or break apart.
What 2 types of deformation are there?
- Elastic deformation – This can be reversible. …
- Plastic deformation – This may be irreversible. …
- Metal fatigue – This occurs primarily in ductile metals. …
- Compressive failure -This is applied to bars, columns, etc., which leads to shortening. …
- Fracture – This may be irreversible.
What are the three components of deformation?
The total amount of deformation between two converging bodies is described by the three components of the displacement field:
translation, rotation, and strain
.
What are the 3 factors that affect deformation?
The factors that influence the strength of a rock and how it will deform include
temperature, confining pressure, rock type, and time
. Rocks deform permanently in two ways: brittle deformation and ductile deformation.
