Table of Contents
- 1 What is near an active continental margin?
- 2 What features would you expect to see at an active margin?
- 3 Is Andes near an active continental margin?
- 4 How are active continental margins related to plate tectonics?
- 5 What are passive and active continental margins?
- 6 What are the three features of the continental margin?
What is near an active continental margin?
An active continental margin is found on the leading edge of the continent where it is crashing into an oceanic plate. An excellent example is the west coast of South America. Active margins are commonly the sites of tectonic activity: earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, and the formation of new igneous rock.
Which is closest to the continental margin?
continental shelf
The part of the continental margin closest to land is called the continental shelf. The continental shelf is the flat, shallow, sloping area we are…
What occurs at the continental margin?
Active continental margins are typically narrow from coast to shelf break, with steep descents into trenches. Convergent active margins occur where oceanic plates meet continental plates. The denser oceanic crust of one plate subducts below the less dense continental crust of another plate.
What features would you expect to see at an active margin?
Active margins have similar features to passive margins, but the plate boundary affects the properties of the features. Active margins, like the Pacific coast of North America, have narrower shelves, steeper slopes, and little to no rise, particularly in convergent boundaries .
What are the 3 parts of the continental margin?
The continental margins consist of three portions: (1) the continental shelf which has shallow water depths rarely deeper than 650 ft) and extends seaward from the shoreline to distances ranging from 12.3 miles to 249 miles, (2) the continental slope where the bottom drops off to depths of up to 3.1 miles, and (3) the …
How does an active continental margin differ from a typical passive margin?
Active continental margins are typically narrow from coast to shelf break, with steep descents into trenches. An excellent example is the west coast of South America. A passive margin is the transition between oceanic and continental lithosphere that is not an active plate margin.
Is Andes near an active continental margin?
Since the early days of plate tectonics, the South American Andes have been cited as the type example of an ocean-continent collision zone, or active continental margin (Mitchell & Reading 1969), and much ofthe discussion in the following sections will be based on Andean data.
What is an active margin?
An active continental margin is a coastal region that is characterized by mountain-building activity including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tectonic motion resulting from movement of tectonic plates.
What type of margin is an active type margin?
Continental Margins
| Continental margin | Plate Boundary Nearby | Continental shelf width |
|---|---|---|
| Active/Pacific type | Conservative or destructive near margin | Generally narrow |
| Passive/Atlantic type | None. Constructive boundary has rifted away, and over time will be far away (“mid-ocean”) | Generally wide |
How are active continental margins related to plate tectonics? Active continental margins are located along convergent plate boundaries where oceanic lithosphere is being subducted beneath the leading edge of a continent (all around the ring of fire).
Which of the following is a characteristic of an active continental margin?
Active continental margins are characterized by rugged coastlines with narrow beaches and steep sea cliffs. The West Coast of the United States is an active continental margin (Figure 15-8).
Which feature is associated with an active continental margin?
An active continental margin is a coastal region that is characterized by mountain-building activity including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tectonic motion resulting from movement of tectonic plates. Active margins typically have a narrower and steeper continental shelf and slope.
What are passive and active continental margins?
A Continental Margin is a boundary between continental crust and oceanic crust. Active continental margins occur along plate boundaries, while passive continental margins occur at the boundary that marks a continent and the oceanic crust. Mountain building takes place along active continental margins only.
Which coast represents an active continental margin?
Active continental margins are those that are tectonically active, such as along much of the Pacific coast.
What is true about passive continental margins?
Passive continental margin. A passive margin is the transition between oceanic and continental lithosphere that is not an active plate margin. A passive margin forms by sedimentation above an ancient rift, now marked by transitional lithosphere. Oct 15 2019
What are the three features of the continental margin?
The continental margin consists of three different features: the continental rise, the continental slope, and the continental shelf. The continental shelf is the portion of the continental margin that transitions from the shore out towards to ocean. They are believed to make up 7 percent of the sea floor.