Plates essay

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Divergent plate movements occur when two oceanic plate move away from each other to form new oceanic crust at a zone of divergence. The zone of divergence results as the Earth’s crust separates (Earth Science).

Plate tectonics is a principal process that largely forms the face of the Earth. It divides over ninety percent of the Earth surface into fifteen primary pieces of lithosphere known as tectonic plates. Plate tectonics is a recognized modern geological theory addressing the motion of the lithosphere.

There are three types of plate boundaries, each of which dictate the type of geologic events that occur in an area. Convergent plate boundaries, for instance, occur when two lithospheric plates move toward each other and one of the two plates slides beneath the other.