Monday 11 July 2011

Subduction of one plate and formation of another

This extension idea has been added to 'Continents in collision; modelling processes at a destructive (convergent) plate margin'. You can add a literal extension to this model by attaching an ‘oceanic plate’ to the moving ‘continent’ that rises out of a slit on the far side of the model – as shown in the photos above.
As one plate is subducted, causing ‘mountains’ to develop as the ‘sediments’ (paper serviettes) are compressed, new plate material is seen forming on the far side of the moving continent. You could colour this blue, to denote the new oceanic plate.
This is one of many activities related to plate tectonics - search our website to find more.

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