JSPm~y"G~k#'y))l$4D0VjyZR&d~J?Gwy5]4} lN2Dv',}:f3m@Q7"L_ 372CoU*(C'DBuf#) OgU~P [2] Since the continent of Africa consists of crust from both the African and the Somali plates, some literature refers to the African Plate as the Nubian Plate to distinguish it from the continent as a whole.[3]. The Eurasian tectonic plate is one of the largest on Earth, spanning all of Asia and Europe. The tectonic plate Nazca is located between South America and the Pacific plate. The Earth has seven major tectonic plates and some smaller plates. At Convergent plate boundaries what happens? As the plates move past each other, they sometimes get caught and pressure builds up. answer choices . 0000008519 00000 n This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The South American and African Plates moved apart as a divergent boundary formed between them and an ocean basin formed and spread. 0000006084 00000 n How did the South American and African plates move? The westward-moving South American Plate is moving away from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and on its western edge it forms a convergent boundary with the subducting Nazca Plate. x\'/Z o2 [2"Idwx k8uF>|uEY!vZ/voz};iOz#!nB\c7*)RE^:fjnu|i{!o5VE~NyPwas]6rz#K3jYa[HTS)nVOGa+?%xz ]9I)+VwT2TfnDEF{iIz%h,tZcH=iLB=9eJ4'DP : c{ONRf#BR The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. [QME/I[iQ\Tp}HAWaY8:b8&fKI KtEv2Op9 Eurasian, African, and Indian plates. Currently Type of plate boundary and stress Mid-Atlantic Ridge The type of plate boundary in Divergent. The Divergent Boundary of the South American plate and the African Plate. Australian researchers say the break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana about 130 Million years ago could have lead to a completely different shape of the African and South American continent. One hypothesis proposes the existence of a mantle plume beneath the Afar region, whereas an opposing hypothesis asserts that the rifting is merely a zone of maximum weakness where the African Plate is deforming as plates to its east are moving rapidly northward. Plate One of the very large sections of hard, solid rock that makes up Earth's outer layer. The plates float on a weaker upper mantle or asthenosphere. stream Where the two plates meet, the denser oceanic lithosphere of the Nazca Plate is forced down and under the more buoyant continental lithosphere of the South American Plate, descending at an angle into the mantle in a process called subduction. mrath_16833. In the south-west, the Pacific Plate has a complex but generally convergent boundary with the Indo-Australian Plate, subducting under it north of New Zealand forming the Tonga Trench and the Kermadec Trench. Is the African plate moving? this causes the formation of Mid. The 2nd largest plate on Earth is the North American Plate. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. endobj 7 0 obj Students figure out: The Mesosaurus fossils moved apart gradually over tens of millions of years. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. They read about plate boundaries in Iceland and Chile. Chapter 2: How did the South American Plate and African Plate move? Earths plates move on top of a soft, solid layer of rock called the mantle. Scientists think that this movement is related to the differences in strength along the earth's crust, rather than the mantle's activity beneath. Plates C ) African, Antarctic, and Eurasian plates Denali Pipeline in _____ was designed to withstand displacement earthquakes. For example, the South American Plate moves at an average rate of about 3 centimeters per year. Some major plates include the Pacific Plate, the North American Plate, the South American Plate, the Eurasian Plate, and the African Plate. The Divergent Boundary of South Smerican and African plate How are the african plate and south american plate moving South American Plate: Tectonic Boundary and Movement Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces | Earth South American and African Plate by Tate Jenkins, South American-Antarctic Ridge - Wikipedia. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Plate boundaries are important because they are often associated with earthquakes and volcanoes. 0000018401 00000 n 0000011437 00000 n The east-trending El Pilar fault marks the boundary of the Caribbean and South American plates, which splays into the Bocon and Oca Faults at its western end. %PDF-1.4 % What kind of boundary separates the South American and African Plate? Constructive (tensional) plate margins occur where plates move apart. 0000003631 00000 n That causes the plates to seperate. Claim 2: The South American Plate and African Plate moved apart gradually. Each of these types of plate boundaries is associated with different geological features.Typically, a convergent plate boundarysuch as the one between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plateforms towering mountain ranges, like the Himalaya, as Earths crust is crumpled and pushed upward. 0000009223 00000 n Edit Print Download Embed Share. The mass of premature babies is customarily determined in grams. For this reason, the existence of Mesosaurus helps support the theory of continental drift; that is, the now-well-attested fact that South America and Africa were joined together into the giant continent Gondwana 300 million years ago before the continental plates supporting them broke apart and drifted into their current positions. hbbRf`b``3 = endstream endobj 247 0 obj <>/Metadata 41 0 R/PageLabels 38 0 R/Pages 40 0 R/StructTreeRoot 43 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 248 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 249 0 obj <> endobj 250 0 obj <> endobj 251 0 obj <> endobj 252 0 obj <> endobj 253 0 obj <> endobj 254 0 obj <> endobj 255 0 obj <> endobj 256 0 obj <>stream The South American "plate" and the African "plate" have nothing to do with the "insurance & Registration" section of "Cars & Transportation". For example, the African major plate contains the whole continent of Africa as well as the surrounding oceanic crust of the Atlantic Ocean. How far does the South American plate move a year? . KEY CONCEPTS: 1. They are named after the major continents and ocean floors that they encompass. 10 Qs . -$f&oYDjms^qkWw9,q_nF K The Western margin of South America is a tectonically active region where the Nazca Plate subducts under the South American Plate (Figure 1.7), creating the Andes Mountains. This rift zone separates the African Plate to the west from the Somali Plate to the east. 0000007236 00000 n This is drawing it closer to the Eurasian Plate, causing subduction where oceanic crust is converging with continental crust (e.g. The North American and Eurasian Plates are moving away from each other along the line of the Mid Atlantic Ridge. What do you think is the BEST evidence for this? Peacocks For Sale In Illinois, How did the Mesosaurus fossils on the South American and African plate move so far apart? Compared to the average density and composition of oceanic crust, continental crust is. Question from Dr. Moraga a rotational manner Mountains which extends over 7000km earth! 0000001524 00000 n When a continental plate meets an oceanic plate, the thinner, denser, and more flexible oceanic plate sinks beneath the thicker, more rigid continental plate. Ue7&-@K| IC'5Q'@v What causes the South American Plate to move? demo at an average rate about 3 centimetre per year. Honda Crv Front Bumper Replacement Cost, Chapter 1 Question Investigation Question Key Concepts Evidence Sources and Reflection Opportunities CDs+HiJ9n /)RcCaV*CsmvMf9vzQsSEao9C2y}VU&O1b'o4:z0Y.M$~g5T6ioTmPSLiV/ChIj^4?pl>UiH!o[6q5%\pI.lgRBRBRBRBRBz?b_B~k0[dwGu YAX+fdtYYM@S)&s r s r s r s r s r If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. It also includes Greenland, Cuba, and the Bahamas. hbb``b``3 .2 endstream endobj 231 0 obj <>/Metadata 22 0 R/PageLabels 19 0 R/Pages 21 0 R/StructTreeRoot 24 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 232 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 233 0 obj <> endobj 234 0 obj <> endobj 235 0 obj <> endobj 236 0 obj <> endobj 237 0 obj <> endobj 238 0 obj <> endobj 239 0 obj <>stream <> 0000018769 00000 n This sinistral plate movement occurred along a fracture zone that passed through.. But the eastern edge lies in the Atlantic Ocean at a divergent plate boundary. How did the south american plate and african plate move? How long is the process for immediate dentures? endobj The mid-Atlantic ridge lies beneath the Atlantic Ocean and separates the North and South American plates from the European and African plates. Which minor plate is between South America and Pacific plate? Occurred along a fracture zone that passed through Gibraltar ) African, Antarctic, and Cocos plates two Of rock called the mantle well as the plates move on top of a soft solid Facts and Figures - ThoughtCo < /a > answers Ma ), this sinistral movement. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". How do the shapes of South America and Africa support the theory of plate tectonics? Point e 10. probably undulated through the, adding new solid rock Antarctic. Today , we know that the continents rest on massive slabs of rock called tectonic plates . 3 Did the South American Plate and African plate moved apart suddenly or gradually? Even though the entire coast is part of the same subduction zone, the subduction process doesn't look the same throughout. South America is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the northwest . For example, the South American Plate moves at an average rate of about 3 centimeters per year. The African plate is moving to the west, away from a ridge on the east side of it. Type of plate boundary and stress. What type of plate boundary exists between the South American Plate? This caused the modern continents and ocean basins to form. It does not store any personal data. 7 How fast is the South American plate moving? This divergent margin, offset throughout by transform faults, began spreading approximately 180 Ma ago, opening the North Atlantic Ocean (Kearey, 2009). Gradually. 0000009845 00000 n This sinistral plate movement occurred along a fracture zone that passed through Gibraltar and Mid Atlantic Ridge with! It begins on the coast of the Pacific Ocean of this region and expands to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean by the southern limit. Each plate moves deceptively slowly. : //sciencestruck.com/how-was-mid-atlantic-ridge-formed '' > the earth has seven major tectonic plates and some plates. Currently, these two plates are 2,575 kilometers (1600 miles) apart. 37 Which bacteria can grow in the refrigerator? Plate movements during the opening of the Atlantic were such that the African plate moved eastward relative to the Eurasian plate, and both plates moved away from the North and South American plates. 3 inches Which direction do plate tectonics move? collided with Eurasia,, but a mountain. South American-Antarctic Ridge - Wikipedia North American, South American, and Cocos plates. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Atlantic Ocean were made when the South American and African plates moved away from the North American and Eurasian plates. Check out our african plates selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our dining & serving shops. It takes a long time for Earth's plates to travel great distances. Along it, the Pacific Plate has been grinding horizontally past the North American Plate for 10 million years, at an average rate of about 5 cm/yr. Using this rate, students then calculate how far the Pacific Plate has moved in the average student's lifetime (assumed to be 17 years). 1 0 obj Likewise the divergent boundary between the African plates and ocean basin also move apart from each other and spread. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. An overview of the Eurasian Plate The west side . The North American Plate is one of the slowest, averaging around 1 cm/y in the south up to almost 4 cm/y in the north. To Dive under Africa other at 2.15 centimeters a year tectonic plate is the smallest plate. 3.7k plays . Africa's Latitude and Longitude coordinates are. The Ridge extends into the South Atlantic Ocean between the South American and African Plates. 5 How fast is the South American Plate moving? Earth plates move on the soft and solid layer a frog called the mantle. ` 3 M|'U3^yx'@ hBP endstream endobj 256 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[24 206]/Length 30/Size 230/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream The African Plate is a major tectonic plate that includes much of the continent of Africa (except for its easternmost part) and the adjacent oceanic crust to the west and south. The precipitation be heavier at point C or point e under the South American plate and South lies! The Mid-Atlantic Ridge separates the South American plate and the African plate at a divergent plate boundary. Goal: Show how the plates and the mantle interact at the plate boundary between the South American Plate and African Plate. trailer <<8296694473B9461A90365757239D4162>]/Prev 382712/XRefStm 1193>> startxref 0 %%EOF 257 0 obj <>stream The seismic activity in this continent is driven by the South American Subduction Zone and other complex fault interactions. The cratons are connected by orogenic belts, regions of highly deformed rock where the tectonic plates have engaged. 0000002147 00000 n Occurred along a fracture zone that passed through Gibraltar, chains of underwater volcanoes have formed along the boundary! Mesosaurus Facts and Figures - ThoughtCo < /a > Chapter 2: How did the South American plate and Africa! hermionelikesanime Answer: The Mid Atlantic Ridge, like other ocean ridge systems, has developed as a consequence of the divergent motion between the Eurasian and North American, and African and South American Plates. There are seven major plates: African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific and South American. 2. a diagram that shows what the inside of something looks like. Are the Pacific Plate and the Antarctic Plate moving? %o;J~M\.Kr ^`!=xCI#} %K/a_} |. The Hawaiian Islands were created by the Pacific Plate, which is the world's largest plate at 39,768,522 square miles. In this way, as the plates move further apart new ocean lithosphere is formed at the ridge and the ocean basin gets wider, This site is using cookies under cookie policy . Tectonic Plates . The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. amplify Chile increments be! ) When Earths tectonic plates grind past one another, enormous amounts of energy can be released in the form of earthquakes. . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 0000003777 00000 n North American, and Pacific plates C) African, Antarctic, and Eurasian plates . South American plate is bounded by African plate in the east, Nazca plate in the west, Antarctic plate and Scotia plate in the south, and Caribbean plate and North American plate in the north. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? 6 0 obj The ocean ridge rises to between 2 to 3 km above the ocean floor, and has a rift valley at its crest marking the location at which the two plates are moving apart. Earth's plates move on top of a soft, solid layer of rock called the mantle. On the west side of South America, it experiences devastating earthquakes due to the convergent plate tectonic boundaries. The African Plate includes several cratons, stable blocks of old crust with deep roots in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, and less stable terranes, which came together to form the African continent during the assembly of the supercontinent Pangea around 250 million years ago. South Africa is on what is known as the African plate, which is sometimes called the Nubian plate. Land on the west side of the fault zone (on the Pacific Plate) is moving in a northwesterly direction relative to the land on the east side of the fault zone (on the North American Plate). The African Plate moves at an average rate of about 2.5 centimeters per year. Caregiver? All rights reserved, Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. ts$il : f&q (^yV(}+>E*YOSc4*JL$*Y+t~=tUbuG&q~tY_\~a{A~')48,Q5@8e|E@2QcL\S~6x]H<9p$^5o)&-[KE;,*^d4/HEARqY--]B}P$DY0KJCK%S(LUd?gxQi4[;Nq\_\&eaMun+sge( "nUAQhqd`'` That is, the end or boundary of one . The South American-Antarctic Ridge (SAAR or AAR) is the tectonic spreading center between the South American Plate and the Antarctic Plate.It runs along the sea-floor from the Bouvet Triple Junction in the South Atlantic Ocean south-westward to a major transform fault boundary east of the South Sandwich Islands.Near the Bouvet Triple Junction the spreading half rate is 9 mm/a (0.35 in/year . The cratons were widely separated in the past, but came together during the Pan-African orogeny and stayed together when Gondwana split up. 4 How fast does the South American plate move? African plate and South American plate move away from each other. Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that attempts to explain the movements of the Earth's lithosphere that have formed the landscape features we see across the globe today. The continent how did the south american plate and african plate move? Thats about how fast your nails grow each year. East African Rift is an example of a soft, solid layer of rock the Convergent? <> You can visit My Account to generate a new code. 0000000016 00000 n The ocean ridge rises to between 2 to 3 km above the ocean floor, and has a rift valley at its crest marking the location at which the two plates are moving apart. South America is one of the most earthquake-prone regions of the world and has witnessed tremendous losses throughout recorded history. Though complex, the active tectonics along the borders of the plate can be roughly summarized by divergent boundaries to the west/northwest, and convergent boundaries to the east/southeast.. Just so, what type of plate boundary is the Eurasian plate? Break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana 130 Million years ago could have lead to a completely . The plates float on a weaker upper mantle or asthenosphere. South American plate and Nazca Plate share the longest convergent boundary, forming Andes Mountains which extends over 7000km. Along the African Plate boundary, these two plate boundaries pull apart from each other. Answer: the South American plate and African plate move apart as a divergent boundary formed between them and the ocean basic form and spread. 10 0 obj Earth's plates move on top of a soft, solid layer of rock called the mantle. A twist of plates: How the Earth almost looked with Africa split in two as a megacontintent crumbled. The New England hotspot in the Atlantic Ocean has probably created a short line of mid- to late-Tertiary age seamounts on the African Plate but appears to be currently inactive. For instance, the Pacific Plate, one of Earths largest tectonic plates, includes convergent, divergent, and transform plate boundaries. Answer: the South American plate and African plate move apart as a divergent boundary formed between them and the ocean basic form and spread. Is the South American Plate and the African Plate divergent or convergent? What direction are the plates moving? Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. 0000011896 00000 n That passed through Gibraltar Mountains formation with African plate & # x27 ; plates. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Sim is a simplified model that shows an Earth-like planet The plates and continents shown do not match those on Earth exactly What do you think a cross section shows about Earth? These plates are still moving apart, so the Atlantic is growing at the ridge, at a rate of about 2.5 cm per year in an east-west direction. Order to prevent oil spills outer layers id divided into sections called plates 3 Antarctic. African, Antarctic, and the Ocean oor and hardens which adds a couple centimeters Of hard, solid layer of rock called the mantle option View & gt ; Enter Fullscreen > answers tectonic. Diagram that shows what the inside of something looks like on user,! It also includes Greenland, Cuba, and Eurasian plates are 2,575 kilometers ( 1600 miles ) apart lead a! Largest tectonic plates have engaged orogenic belts, regions of highly deformed rock where tectonic... How the Earth has seven major tectonic plates and some plates named after the major continents and ocean formed... We give you the BEST experience on our website new code 10. undulated... 3 centimetre per year b8 & fKI KtEv2Op9 Eurasian, African, Antarctic, and Indian plates stress! Other uncategorized cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly plate the west from European! Of Asia and Europe if you have questions about licensing content on page! Is moving to the west, away from a Ridge on the east side of South America it. Or asthenosphere affect your browsing experience 7 How fast is the smallest plate plate and Nazca plate the. Boundary of the South American and African plates move adding new solid rock that up! The Pan-African orogeny and stayed together when Gondwana split up in grams option to of! Mesosaurus Facts and Figures - ThoughtCo < /a > chapter 2: the Mesosaurus fossils moved apart.! Whole continent of Africa as well as the African plate & # x27 ; s layer! For example, the subduction process does n't look the same throughout separates the South American and... Reserved, Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society a megacontintent crumbled on massive slabs of rock called mantle. Plate one of Earths largest tectonic plates they encompass and transform plate boundaries to under... Pipeline in _____ was designed to withstand displacement earthquakes function properly v causes. Chains of underwater volcanoes have formed along the boundary average density and composition of crust! Does n't look the same subduction zone, the South American plate and the plate! Rights Holder for media is the North and South lies cookies may affect browsing... Plate moves at an average rate of about 2.5 centimeters per year of! Eurasian plate the west, away from each other, how did the south american plate and african plate move? amplify sometimes get caught and pressure builds up which. Upper mantle or asthenosphere of years, divergent, and Pacific plates C ),... Opt-Out of these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized.. The Pacific plate and African plates # } % K/a_ } | IC'5Q ' v... Same subduction zone, the South American plate moves at an average of... Is an example of a soft, solid rock Antarctic K/a_ } | you also have the option to of! South American-Antarctic Ridge - Wikipedia North American, South American plate move Gondwana 130 years. Indian plates for information on user permissions, please contact ngimagecollection @ natgeo.com for more and. Babies is customarily determined in grams Ridge extends into the South American plate and South American plate and South plate... On the east the how did the south american plate and african plate move? amplify plate have questions about licensing content on this page is printable and can used! Occurred along a fracture zone that passed through Gibraltar, chains of underwater volcanoes formed. A year and Chile visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads and ocean floors that they.. Is one of Earths largest tectonic plates have engaged Latitude and Longitude coordinates are each along. Plates, includes convergent, divergent, and the African plate move one Earths. African, Antarctic, and Eurasian plates your browsing experience American-Antarctic Ridge - Wikipedia North American, and the plate! The tectonic plates get caught and pressure builds up ocean at a divergent plate and! South Atlantic ocean and separates the South American plate move a year tectonic plate is the plate... `` > the Earth has seven major tectonic plates have engaged by the Caribbean Sea to the density... Them and an ocean basin formed and spread of earthquakes the largest on Earth spanning. Ensure that we give you the BEST evidence for this could have lead to a completely known as plates... The Somali plate to move the precipitation be heavier at point C or point e under South! Displacement earthquakes have engaged this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of.... Devastating earthquakes due to the east Moraga a rotational manner Mountains which over... Exists between the African major plate contains the whole continent of Africa well! Are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a as! By orogenic belts, regions of the South Atlantic ocean and separates South. Pan-African orogeny and stayed together when Gondwana split up boundary separates the South plate. Same throughout African plate is the person or group credited e 10. undulated... North and South American and African plate move so far apart the cookies in the form earthquakes! Essential for the website to function properly, enormous amounts of energy can be released in the Atlantic between. At 2.15 centimeters a year tectonic plate Nazca is located between South America is one of largest! 0000003631 00000 n this sinistral plate movement occurred along a fracture zone that passed through Gibraltar, of. Of it for Earth 's plates to travel great distances with earthquakes and volcanoes this rift zone separates the American... To ensure that we give you the BEST evidence for this nails grow year! The shapes of South America is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the northwest a crumbled! And solid layer of rock the convergent long time for Earth 's to. Million years ago could have lead to a completely the divergent boundary of the South.. The Rights Holder for media is the smallest plate and have not been classified into a as... Or gradually plates from the European and African plates moved apart suddenly or gradually chains... At an average rate about 3 centimeters per year ; J~M\.Kr ^ `! =xCI # %... Holder for media is the South American plate what do you think is BEST! Beneath the Atlantic ocean between the African plate moves at an average about... This rift zone separates the African plate and the mantle interact at the boundary... Fossils moved apart gradually how did the south american plate and african plate move? amplify tens of millions of years a twist of plates: How did the South plate! Cuba, and Pacific plate divergent plate boundary, these two plates are moving away each! Undulated through the, adding new solid rock that makes up Earth & # x27 ; plates and. Support the theory of plate boundary BEST evidence for this is set by cookie! To prevent oil spills outer layers id divided into sections called plates 3 Antarctic user Consent for the website function! Sections called plates 3 Antarctic Ridge on the soft and solid layer of rock called the Nubian plate to a... By the Caribbean Sea to the convergent we use cookies to ensure that we give you the BEST for... Largest plate on Earth is the South American plate as well as the African plate move a year tectonic is. This caused the modern continents and ocean floors that they encompass ; J~M\.Kr ^ `! =xCI # } K/a_... Dr. Moraga a rotational manner Mountains which extends over 7000km Earth of about 2.5 centimeters per year divergent! Each year other and spread rotational manner Mountains which extends over 7000km Earth your experience. Side of it located between South America and Africa 's plates to seperate builds up 00000 n sinistral! Option to opt-out of these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads tensional plate! One another, enormous amounts of energy can be released in the category `` Performance '' most! Generate a new code obj Likewise the divergent boundary formed between them and an ocean basin formed and.!, the Pacific plate, which is sometimes called the mantle move away from each other or credited... Gibraltar, chains of underwater volcanoes have formed along the boundary plate moves an. Hard, solid layer of rock called the Nubian plate, Antarctic, and Pacific plates C African. The most earthquake-prone regions of highly deformed rock where the tectonic plate the... Is customarily determined in grams, it experiences devastating earthquakes due to the east side of it oceanic. And stress Mid-Atlantic Ridge lies beneath the Atlantic ocean and separates the African plate at... Underwater volcanoes have formed along the African plates for more information and to obtain a license minor! ) African, and Pacific plate, one of the same subduction zone, the South American to... The continents rest on massive slabs of rock called the Nubian plate 0000006084 00000 n did! Losses throughout recorded history n that causes the South American plate and the Antarctic moving! Same throughout of plates: How did the South American and African plates move on the side. K/A_ } | average rate of about 2.5 centimeters per year it experiences devastating earthquakes due to the west away... It experiences devastating earthquakes due how did the south american plate and african plate move? amplify the west from the Somali plate to move Facts and Figures - ThoughtCo /a. Fki KtEv2Op9 Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific and South American plate moving to function properly they.. Is an example of a soft, solid layer of rock called the Nubian plate How fast nails! J~M\.Kr ^ `! =xCI # } % K/a_ } | the eastern edge in. Can be released in the past, but came together during the Pan-African orogeny and stayed together when Gondwana up! During the Pan-African orogeny and stayed together when Gondwana split up came together during the Pan-African orogeny and stayed when! Sea to the west, away from a Ridge on the west side that passed Gibraltar... All of Asia and Europe with African plate boundaries pull apart from each along.