Conservative Plate Margin – Tectonic plate margin where two tectonic plates slide past each other

To remember the meaning of the term Conservative Plate Margin, use the following mnemonic:

The two Conservative (conservative) members of Parliament slid past each other in the corridor.

Note: In the U.K. the main two political parties are Conservative and Labour.

Plate margins are the boundaries or edges of tectonic plates.

With conservative plate margins, two tectonic plates either slip past each other in opposite directions or at different rates in the same direction.

The tectonic plates do not move past each other smoothly. There will be a build up of friction until they suddenly move causing earthquakes.