Question

what happens to the divergent boundary plates

Answer 1

At a divergent plate boundary the two plates move away from each other. That movement produces several characteristic processes and landforms:

- Upwelling and melting of mantle material: Mantle rock rises to fill the gap, partially melts, and produces magma. When that magma reaches the surface it solidifies as new crust (usually basaltic).
- Creation of new lithosphere: On oceanic segments this produces mid‑ocean ridges and continuous seafloor spreading. The newly formed oceanic crust cools, thickens and moves away from the ridge.
- Rift formation on continents: If divergence starts in continental crust you get a rift valley (faulting, subsidence and volcanism). Continued rifting can eventually form a new ocean basin (e.g., the East African Rift may evolve into an ocean).
- Volcanism and shallow earthquakes: Divergent boundaries are sites of frequent but typically shallow earthquakes and basaltic volcanism.
- Hydrothermal activity and mineral deposition: At mid‑ocean ridges hot fluids create hydrothermal vents and associated mineral deposits.
- Magnetic stripes and seafloor records: As new crust forms it records the Earth’s magnetic field; symmetric magnetic striping on either side of ridges documents seafloor spreading.
- Long‑term fate of the plates: Oceanic plates are “born” at ridges and typically move away, cool and eventually may be recycled (subducted) at convergent boundaries. Continental parts can be stretched, thinned and ultimately split into separate plates.

Examples: the Mid‑Atlantic Ridge (oceanic) and the East African Rift (continental).