Geology Week 2 DQ 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Geology Week 2 DQ 1 - Essay Example This process enables creation of crustal material, thereby constituting this type of boundary. Transform plate boundary – Two tectonic plates move parallel to each other. They collide against each other during this movement. Earth disturbances occur for example earthquakes, leading to the formation of this boundary. Western and Eastern United States are a representation of active and passive continental margins (Rhodes & Perlman, 2001). In the light of plate tectonic theory, the Western continental margin is characterized by the occurrence of oceanic plates that result from the crashing activity of the continental edge. On the other hand, the Eastern United States continental margin is passive, meaning that it is not characterized by geological activities. Collision or subduction processes do not occur, and tectonic activity is therefore minimal (Rhodes & Perlman, 2001). As a result, extensive continental shelves emerge from erosion and weathering processes. The acceptance of plate tectonic theory based on magnetic anomalies and polar reversals followed studies and discoveries that evidenced the applicability of the theory. Historical and present continental distribution is attributed to the earth’s magnetic field (Rhodes & Perlman, 2001). Rock formation processes and plate tectonic movements have been consistently studied and proved, shaping the present geological structure in the light of the plate tectonic