A tectonic plate is a massive, solid slab of rock that makes up Earth's lithosphere, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.
Think of the Earth's surface as a cracked eggshell. These "cracks" define the boundaries between the tectonic plates. These plates are not stationary; they slowly move and interact with each other. This movement is responsible for many geological phenomena, including:
- Earthquakes: When plates collide, slide past each other, or pull apart, the resulting friction and energy release cause earthquakes.
- Volcanoes: Magma can rise to the surface and erupt when plates diverge, or when one plate subducts (slides) under another.
- Mountain Formation: The collision of tectonic plates can cause the Earth's crust to buckle and fold, forming mountain ranges.
- Sea-Floor Spreading: At mid-ocean ridges, tectonic plates are moving apart, allowing magma to rise and create new oceanic crust.
The slow but continuous movement of these plates, driven by processes within the Earth's mantle, shapes our planet's surface over millions of years. They are also sometimes referred to as lithospheric plates because they constitute the lithosphere.
