Plate tectonics (from Latin tectonicus, from Ancient Greek τεκτονικός (tektonikós) 'pertaining to building') [1] is the scientific theory that the Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago.

Tectonic Tessellation Playground. Instructions: Set one of the two positions (A or B) to adjust. These points are the beginning and end position for the animation. Each land mass can be adjusted by modifying their x, y, and z axis rotation (this can be tedious). You may drag the earth to see different views.

2025年1月14日 · plate tectonics, theory dealing with the dynamics of Earth’s outer shell—the lithosphere—that revolutionized Earth sciences by providing a uniform context for understanding mountain-building processes, volcanoes, and earthquakes as well as the evolution of Earth’s surface and reconstructing its past continents and oceans.

2025年1月31日 · 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, transformed the earth sciences by explaining many phenomena, including mountain building events, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

The theory of plate tectonics explains processes in the geosphere that are fueled by Earth’s internal heat that have operated over billions of years. These changes can be imperceptible over a human lifetime or violent and abrupt, and continue to shape Earth’s environments.

Students model Earth's tectonic plate movement and explore the relationship between these movements and different types of volcanoes. This lesson has been adapted from the NASA Astro-Venture Geology Educator Guide, Lesson 5: Plate Tectonics and Volcanism.

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large-scale motion of Earth’s lithosphere. This theoretical model builds on the concept of continental drift which was developed during the first few decades of the 20th century.

2020年2月11日 · Plate tectonics has revolutionized the way we view large features on the surface of the Earth. Earth’s internal processes were previously thought to operate in a vertical fashion, with continents, oceans, and mountain ranges bobbing …

Students model Earth's tectonic plate movement and explore the relationship between these movements and different types of volcanoes. This lesson has been adapted from the NASA Astro-Venture Geology Educator Guide, Lesson 5:

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, ocean trenches, mountain ranges, and more.