Key Idea.
Section 1
Continuous Plate Motion
Earth's tectonic plates are not static; they are in a state of constant, slow motion. Whether they are drifting apart, crashing together, or sliding past one another, the movement never stops.
Although this motion is too slow for humans to feel directly, it is a continuous global process. This ongoing shifting forces the plates to interact, gradually reshaping the arrangement of continents and oceans over millions of years.
Section 2
Earthquakes as Evidence of Motion
The primary evidence for plate motion comes from earthquakes. Earthquakes occur because the plates are moving and grinding against each other at their boundaries.
When energy builds up from this friction and is suddenly released, the ground shakes. The fact that earthquakes consistently happen along plate boundaries proves that the plates are active and moving relative to one another, rather than being locked in place.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
Continuous Plate Motion
Earth's tectonic plates are not static; they are in a state of constant, slow motion. Whether they are drifting apart, crashing together, or sliding past one another, the movement never stops.
Although this motion is too slow for humans to feel directly, it is a continuous global process. This ongoing shifting forces the plates to interact, gradually reshaping the arrangement of continents and oceans over millions of years.
Section 2
Earthquakes as Evidence of Motion
The primary evidence for plate motion comes from earthquakes. Earthquakes occur because the plates are moving and grinding against each other at their boundaries.
When energy builds up from this friction and is suddenly released, the ground shakes. The fact that earthquakes consistently happen along plate boundaries proves that the plates are active and moving relative to one another, rather than being locked in place.