Plate Tectonics

earth science · geology · planet dynamics

Giant puzzle pieces. Earth's crust is divided into several enormous pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are constantly moving very slowly, like a ship drifting across the ocean.

Billions of years old. Plate tectonics has been happening for 3 to 4 billion years, which is almost as long as Earth itself has existed. This means our planet has been slowly rearranging itself for nearly its entire history.

Seafloor spreading proof. Scientists figured out that plate tectonics was real in the 1960s by studying the ocean floor. They found that new crust was being created at underwater mountain ranges, pushing the plates apart.

Builds on drift idea. Plate tectonics grew from an earlier idea called continental drift, which noticed that continents seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. Scientists realized the continents weren't just drifting, they were riding on giant moving plates.

Shapes our world. The movement of tectonic plates creates mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, and ocean trenches. Without plate tectonics, Earth would look completely different today.