And the evidence of polar wandering and evidence of magnetic field reversals locked into oceanic basalt samples. There are only three ways plates can interact while moving. This, in turn, causes there to be only three types of boundaries which are produced by different stress fields. The first boundary is called divergent. This is a tension or a stress that pulls the plates apart.
Divergent boundaries cause mid oceanic ridges.
Some other common characteristics are high heat flow, mild volcanic activity, and shallow earthquakes. The second boundary is called convergent and this is a compression, or a stress that can shorten or compresses the plates. Convergent boundaries cause mountain ranges to develop. The Himalayas for example, were formed when the plate carrying India collided with the plate carrying Eurasia. This continental collision is still active and moving at a rate of 3 to 4 inches per year as the India plate is pushed under the Asian plate and the mountain continue to grow.