Plattgränser

Plattgränser, or plate boundaries, are the lines where Earth's tectonic plates meet. These immense slabs of rock that make up the lithosphere are constantly in motion, albeit very slowly. The interactions at these boundaries are responsible for many of Earth's most dramatic geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mountain ranges.

There are three main types of plate boundaries. Divergent boundaries occur where plates pull apart from each other. This separation allows magma from the mantle to rise to the surface, creating new crust. Examples include the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East African Rift Valley. Convergent boundaries are where plates collide. The outcome of this collision depends on the types of plates involved. When oceanic and continental plates collide, the denser oceanic plate is forced beneath the continental plate in a process called subduction, leading to volcanic arcs and deep ocean trenches. When two continental plates collide, neither can subduct easily, resulting in intense folding and faulting that builds massive mountain ranges like the Himalayas. Transform boundaries are where plates slide past each other horizontally. This movement is often jerky, causing significant friction that builds up stress, which is then released as earthquakes. The San Andreas Fault in California is a well-known example of a transform boundary. The study of plate boundaries is a fundamental aspect of plate tectonics, the theory that explains the large-scale movements and features of Earth's surface.