Conservative Plate Margin

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A conservative plate margin is a location where two Tectonic Plates slide past one another but not towards one another.

About Conservative Plate Margins

At Conservative Plate Margins the plates either move past each other in opposite directions or are sliding along next to each other in the same direction but at different speeds. Conservative Plate Margins are often the cause of very violent Earthquakes. This is because as the plates move past each other friction builds and this can lead to the plates becoming stuck next to each other. This subsequently leads to an Earthquake as energy is released as the plates jolt past each other. The West Coast of the USA is a key example of a conservative plate margin and is an area that suffers from regular large Earthquakes.