Download Divergent boundaries - Mrs. Rasmussen Science Class

DIVERGENT BOUNDARIES
What is this
picture
showing?
Divergent
Boundaries:
A boundary
between two
plates that are
moving away
from each
other.
As the plates get dragged apart, some magma is
pushed up through that crack between the two and
new crust is created. Sometimes the magma gets high
enough that it sticks out of the water. That is how the
island of Iceland has formed.
Occasionally, this process
breaks continents apart.
Magnetic Stripes
As crust is formed at the ridge, the magnetic properties of the rock
line up with Earth's current magnetic field. As Earth's magnetic field
reverses, the newly-formed rock lines up and symmetrical lines of
alternating polarity are formed.
Summary
To diverge means to separate or split. Divergent boundaries are where two plates move
away from each other because of convection in the mantle. Most of the time it happens
under the ocean at the mid-ocean ridge. New crust is created as the plates separate. Crust
that is closer to the ridge is newer. On each side of the ridge, there are symmetrical bands of
crust that share age and magnetic polarity with the band of crust on the other side.