Questions: Describe the three kinds of plate boundaries. Explain your answer in at least three to four sentences.

There are three main types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

1. Divergent Boundaries: At divergent boundaries, tectonic plates move away from each other. This movement is typically found at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed as magma rises from beneath the Earth's surface. As the plates separate, they create new seafloor and can lead to the formation of rift valleys on land.

2. Convergent Boundaries: Convergent boundaries occur where two plates move towards each other. This can result in one plate being forced beneath another in a process known as subduction, leading to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic arcs. In cases where two continental plates converge, they can create mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas.

3. Transform Boundaries: At transform boundaries, plates slide past each other horizontally. This lateral movement can cause earthquakes along faults, which are fractures in the Earth's crust. A well-known example of a transform boundary is the San Andreas Fault in California, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate move past each other.