Question

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Geologists have observed that a portion of Africa is breaking away from the main continent. This is happening because the African Plate is in the process of splitting up into two parts. Scientists have named the two new tectonic plates the Nubian Plate and Somalian Plate. Both of these plates are not only moving away from each other but also away from the Arabian Plate.

Based on this information, determine the type of boundaries these two new plates would share with each other and the Arabian Plate.

Answer 1

The Nubian and Somalian Plates, forming from the division of the African Plate, share divergent boundaries with each other and with the Arabian Plate, typified by their mutual separation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Nubian Plate and the Somalian Plate, which are splitting from the African Plate, share a divergent boundary with each other. This type of boundary occurs when tectonic plates move away from one another. The same type of boundary exists between these new plates and the Arabian Plate as they are also moving away from it. The process that is taking place is known as continental rifting, a clear example of which is the central African rift. Divergent boundaries are often associated with upwelling currents in the mantle that create new crust as molten rock rises and solidifies between the separating plates, a process well recorded on the eastern Brazilian margin.

Answer 2

Briefly, one can categorize the 3 types of boundaries as so: At convergent boundaries, the two tectonic plates are coming closer to each other; at divergent boundaries they are increasing they move away from each other and at transform boundaries the plates are moving parallel to their boundary. Based on this, all boundaries will be divergent boundaries.