Browsing: Tectonic Plates

Tectonic plates are massive slabs of Earth’s lithosphere that move slowly over the planet’s mantle, shaping the surface through their interactions. These plates, ranging from oceanic to continental, collide, slide past, or pull away from each other, driving geological processes such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain formation, and seafloor spreading. The theory of plate tectonics revolutionized Earth science in the 20th century by explaining how continents drift and how Earth’s surface evolves over time. Ongoing research continues to uncover the dynamics beneath these plates and how they influence everything from natural hazards to long-term climate patterns.