How plate tectonics works The driving force behind plate tectonics is convection in the mantle. Hot material near Earth's core rises, and colder mantle rock sinks.

Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer layer is made up of plates, which have moved throughout Earth's history. The theory explains the how and why behind mountains, volcanoes, and ...

"Plate tectonics is a specific type of mobile lid regime, that is a mantle dynamics regime where the lid (lithosphere) takes part in the convection cell.

New research has dramatically reshaped our understanding of Earth’s early geological history, overturning traditional beliefs ...

Where convection currents push plates together, destructive plate boundaries (margins) are formed. Plate tectonics cause earthquakes close earthquakeA fault rupture that generates seismic waves.

Looking to the future According to current knowledge, therefore, an influence of plate tectonics and mantle convection on Earth's magnetic field seems quite possible.

For millions of years, Earth’s shifting plates have shaped continents, formed oceans, and built towering mountain ranges. But ...

Plate tectonics runs deeper than we thought At 52 years old, plate tectonics has given geologists a whole new level to explore.

But Mars never developed plate tectonics, possibly because it is smaller than Earth, so its interior pressure was insufficient to drive mantle convection on a large scale.