Mountain Building and Plate Boundaries

Definitions-you can find these in your textActive continental margin-

Passive continental margin-

Converging boundary-

Diverging boundary-

Data Tables:

Continental Mountain Range

Location On/beside plate boundary

Active/Passive Continental

Margin

Diverging/ converging boundary

Rocky North American Plate

N/A Passive N/A

Appalachian North American Plate

N/A Passive N/A

Andes South American Plate

Nazca & South American Plates

Active Converging

Atlas African Plate African & Eurasian Plates

Active Converging

Alps Eurasian Plate African & Eurasian Plates

Active Converging

Himalayan Eurasian Plate Eurasian & Indian Plates

Active Converging

Underwater Mountain Range

Name the two plates the ridge borders

Diverging/Converging boundary

Mid-Atlantic Ridge N. American & Eurasian

S. American & African

Diverging

East Pacific Rise Nazca & Pacific Diverging

Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge

Indian & Antarcrtic Diverging

Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge

African & Antarctic Diverging

Conclusion Questions:(Are yours done in complete sentences?)

1. The Andes Mountains are younger than the Appalachian Mountains. What evidence is there on the physical world map that supports this statement?

The Andes are on an active continental margin and are still forming. The Appalachians were formed long ago when the eastern coast of North America was an active continental margin, now it is passive. The Appalachians are smaller because of weathering and erosion over millions of years.

2. Would you expect to find extensive mountain building taking place in Australia? Explain.

No, Australia is in the center of a plate and is surrounded by passive continental margins.

3. Which mountain range is more likely to have active volcanoes, the Andes or the Rockies? Explain.

The Andes are more likely to have active volcanoes. They are presently on an active continental margin and volcanoes are often associated with such margins. The Rockies are not near a plate margin.

4. Active continental margins are also called seismic continental margins while passive continental margins are called aseismic continental margins. To what occurrence does the term seismic usually refer? What must aseismic mean? Explain why these are appropriate terms to apply to their respective plate boundaries.

Seismic-the boundary is associated with earthquake activity

Aseismic-a boundary that lacks earthquake activity

It is appropriate to name an active continental margin a seismic continental margin because then can result in earthquakes.

It is appropriate to name a passive continental margin an aseismic continental margin because they would not be expected to have earthquakes.