Moving Crust
As the plates of the Earth’s surface move towards each other, one plate may rise over the other one. The one which goes up forms mountains and the one which goes down is slowly melted below the Earth’s surface. Where two plates move away from each other, magma is free to escape. It solidifies to form rock, and a ‘mid ocean ridge’ or a ‘volcanic island’ is formed.
Folding
Movements in the Earth’s plates can also cause the Earth’s surface to buckle and split. Where the surface splits and slips, a ‘fault’ is produced. Where the surface buckles, a ‘fold’ is formed. Many familiar features of the landscape are caused by folds and faults, and these can often be seen in layers of rocks at seaside cliffs. The diagram shows some of the features that can be produced in these ways.