Evolution of Ocean Basins

Embryonic
Initial formation of rift
valleys or spreading
centers.
Young and narrow oceanic
basins.

Juvenile

Widened basins with well-

defined mid-ocean ridges.
Accumulation of sediments
along the basin floor.

Mature
Stable basins with developed
features like abyssal plains
and continental shelves.
Significant sediment
accumulation covering the
basin floor.

Declining

Basins begin to shrink due to

tectonic forces or
subduction.
Pronounced features like
trenches and heavy sediment
accumulation.

Terminal
Basin closure or integration
into a larger landmass.
Tectonic plate collision
leading to mountain range
formation or continental
collisions.
 3 Types of Tectonic Boundaries

Divergent

Tectonic plates move towards

each other. When two plates
collide, one can be forced
beneath the other in a
process called subduction.
This collision often leads
to the formation of mountain
ranges, deep-sea trenches,
and volcanic activity.

Convergent

Occur when tectonic plates

move away from each other.
This movement causes the
formation of new crust as
magma rises from below the
Earth's surface, creating
features like mid-ocean
ridges or rift valleys on
land.

Terminal

Where tectonic plates slide past

each other horizontally. They
neither converge nor diverge but
instead grind against each
other. This movement can cause
earthquakes as the plates
release built-up tension along
the fault line.