Plate tectonics (from Latin tectonicus, from Ancient Greek τεκτονικός (tektonikós) 'pertaining to building') [1] is the scientific theory that the Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago.

2025年1月14日 · Plate tectonics, theory dealing with the dynamics of Earth’s outer shell that revolutionized Earth sciences by providing a uniform context for understanding mountain-building processes, volcanoes, and earthquakes as well as the evolution of Earth’s surface and reconstructing its past continents and oceans.

2025年1月31日 · Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that explains how major landforms are created as a result of Earth’s subterranean movements. The theory, which solidified in the 1960s, transformed the earth sciences by explaining many phenomena, including mountain building events, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

2023年11月1日 · It's how mountains form, volcanoes erupt and continents drift apart. So, what causes the tectonic plates to move? Discover the origins of the continental drift theory and how scientists explain these geologic phenomena.

2023年12月14日 · Explore the dynamic world of tectonic plates, their movement, and how they shape the Earth's landscape. Dive into the theory and discover detailed maps illustrating plate boundaries and interactions.

2020年5月27日 · There are four types of boundaries between tectonic plates that are defined by the movement of the plates: divergent and convergent boundaries, transform fault boundaries, and plate boundary zones. Microplates are smaller fragments of tectonic plates that appear in plate boundary zones.

2023年2月17日 · According to the theory of plate tectonics, the Earth’s outer shell is divided into large slabs of solid rocks, called plates, that move over the rocky inner layer above the Earth’s core, the mantle. The solid outer layer includes the crust and the …

2020年2月11日 · Plate tectonics has revolutionized the way we view large features on the surface of the Earth. Earth’s internal processes were previously thought to operate in a vertical fashion, with continents, oceans, and mountain ranges bobbing …

Even though plates move very slowly, their motion, called plate tectonics, has a huge impact on our planet. Plate tectonics form the oceans, continents, and mountains. It also helps us understand why and where events like earthquakes occur and volcanoes erupt.

The movement of the plates creates three types of tectonic boundaries: convergent, where plates move into one another; divergent, where plates move apart; and transform, where plates move...