Plate tectonics came to be accepted by geoscientists after seafloor spreading was validated in the mid- to late 1960s. The processes that result in plates and shape Earth's crust are called …

Oct 31, 2025 · The process of plate tectonics may be driven by convection in Earth’s mantle, the pull of heavy old pieces of crust into the mantle, or some combination of both.

May 21, 2025 · 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, …

May 3, 2018 · The theory of plate tectonics is the unifying framework of modern geology. It explains how the Earth’s rigid outer shell — the lithosphere — is divided into large slabs called …

Each tectonic plate is free-floating and can move independently. Earthquakes and volcanoes are the direct result of the movement of tectonic plates at fault lines.

Feb 11, 2020 · Plate tectonics thus provides “the big picture” of geology; it explains how mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes, shorelines, and other features tend to form where the moving …

Nov 8, 2024 · Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth’s outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over Earth's mantle.

Feb 17, 2023 · Plate tectonics described with types, examples, images, & labeled diagrams. Where are they located & what causes them to move. Learn their theory.

What is Plate Tectonics? Plate tectonics is a theory about how Earth's lithosphere is divided into a series of rigid plates; and, how movements of these plates produce earthquakes, volcanoes, …

Feb 10, 2024 · Learn about tectonic plates in geology. Get a tectonic plate map, learn the names of the major plates, and discover the types of boundaries.