How do tectonic plates affect Earth's geographical landscape?.

Tectonic plates are large sections of Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries, profoundly affecting the planet's geography. Their movements can create mountains, valleys, earthquakes, and volcanic activity, reshaping the landscape over millions of years.

Key Facts

• There are seven major tectonic plates on Earth: Pacific, North American, Eurasian, African, South American, Antarctic, and Indo-Australian.
• The theory of plate tectonics was developed in the early 20th century, gaining acceptance in the 1960s.
• About 80% of the world's earthquakes occur along tectonic plate boundaries.
• The Himalayas, formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, continue to rise at about 5 mm per year.

Examples or Use Cases

• The San Andreas Fault in California is a well-known transform boundary where the Pacific Plate slides past the North American Plate, causing frequent earthquakes.
• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent boundary where new oceanic crust is formed, causing the Atlantic Ocean to widen.

FAQs

• What are tectonic plates? Tectonic plates are large sections of Earth's surface that move and interact with one another, causing geological activity.
• How do tectonic plates create earthquakes? Earthquakes occur when stress builds up at plate boundaries, and the energy is released suddenly.