Plate tectonics
Moving lithospheric plates organize many large-scale geological processes.
Key knowledge
Earth's lithosphere is divided into plates that move relative to one another. Divergence can create new oceanic lithosphere, convergence can involve subduction, and many earthquakes and volcanoes occur near plate boundaries.
Conditions and scope
- Plates include crust and rigid uppermost mantle; they are not simply continents.
- Not all earthquakes or volcanoes occur at plate boundaries, and not every convergent boundary is an oceanic subduction zone.
Sources · 4
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
Evidence and review
USGS's source-documented plate, spreading and subduction account; no new geodetic or seismic measurement.
2026-10-10 · English plate/boundary scope checked against Plate Tectonics in a Nutshell; its speculative early-Earth timing is excluded.
Foundational review
2026-10-10 · Fresh primary-source inspection of the complete compact record, including every statement, equation, quantity and material condition, followed by independent AI editorial review. This check does not certify all linked lessons or every passage of every cited publication.
Sources from other places
Agreement within this scope
Lithospheric plates, relative movement and boundary types.
Plates include crust and rigid uppermost mantle.
British Geological Survey
- What causes earthquakes? United KingdomEnglish
Plate tectonics; Types of plate boundary
- What causes earthquakes?
Entry details
Permanent link to this entry ↗- Record identity
- earth-plate-tectonics
- Revision
- core.1
- Structured reference record
- Essential core · first collection