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Convergent versus divergent plate boundary
Short answer
Convergent boundaries involve plates moving toward each other, destroying crust via subduction, causing compression, deep strong earthquakes, explosive volcanism, and forming trenches and fold mountains. Divergent boundaries involve plates moving apart, creating new crust from rising magma, with tension, shallow moderate quakes, and quiet basaltic volcanism at mid-ocean ridges and rifts.
Differentiate between convergent and divergent plate boundaries.
| Basis | Convergent boundary | Divergent boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | Plates move towards each other | Plates move away from each other |
| Crust | Destroyed (subduction) or thickened | Created from rising magma |
| Also called | Destructive boundary | Constructive boundary |
| Landforms | Trenches, fold mountains, island arcs | Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys |
| Earthquakes | Shallow to deep, very strong | Shallow, moderate |
| Volcanism | Explosive (andesitic) | Quiet (basaltic) |
| Stress | Compression | Tension |
| Examples | Himalaya, Andes, Japan | Mid-Atlantic Ridge, East African Rift |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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