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The Earth's tectonic plates are all moving all the time - they move at about the same speed that your fingernails grow. Most of this movement, because the Earth is so large and the movement so slow, is taken up by ductile deformation (rather like squashing plasticine). However, occasionally bits of the plate crack and when this happens we get earthquakes.

It also depends on the way they clash. Sometimes when they clash they both go upward forming mountains. Sometimes one goes beneath the other and gets melted by the high temperatures down there. The melted lava goes up through the two plates and comes out to the surface, creating a volcano and erupting.

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The San Andreas Fault is a result of?

The San Andreas Fault is a result of the tectonic forces causing the Pacific Plate to move northwestward relative to the North American Plate. This movement creates significant stresses that are relieved through periodic earthquakes along the fault line.


Large section of earths crust that moves as one unit?

Plate


What is the process by which the continents move slowly across the earths surface called?

The process by which continents move slowly across the Earth's surface is called plate tectonics. This movement is driven by the continuous shifting of large geological plates that make up the Earth's outer shell. The movement of these plates can result in phenomena like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mountain ranges.


What theory states that earths crust and the rigid upper mantle move in different directions rates over earths surface?

The theory that states Earth's crust and the rigid upper mantle move in different directions and rates over Earth's surface is known as plate tectonics. It explains how the lithosphere is divided into several large plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below, causing them to move and interact with each other, leading to various geologic phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.


What process is the result of a divergent plate boundary?

A divergent plate boundary is where two tectonic plates move away from each other. As they separate, magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap, solidifying to form new crust. This process is known as seafloor spreading.

Related Questions

How do earths convection currents move?

from plate tectonics


How Does a plate move on the earths surface?

A few centimeters a year.


What are plate tectonics and what does it have to do with the earths shape?

Plate tectonics are what each continent is on. They move and are continuing to move today. It has to do with the earth's shape because the plate tectonics move the continents around.


What happens when earth's plate move?

when the earths plates move we either have earthquakes, tsunamis, and we get ridges and trenches.


The theory that earths lithosphere is broken into large sections that move is called?

Plate tectonics


What is a large rigid section of the earths crust?

A large rigid section of the Earth's crust is known as a tectonic plate. These plates float and move on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them, and their interactions at plate boundaries often result in geological phenomena like earthquakes and mountain formation.


What is the theory that states that earths crust and upper mantle move around on a speacial layer of the mantle?

Plate tectonics.


When tectonic plates move slip past each other they cause in earths crust?

Faults, and plate rupture.


What happened if the earths crust move suddenly along fault?

The result is commonly known as an earthquake.


What are passive plate boundaries?

it is when 2 of the earths plates move side by side. 1 usally moves faster than the other


What Is the theory that the earths lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere?

A theory that says the lithosphere is divided into plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere is called '' plate tectonics''


Theory that states that earths crust and upper mantle are broken into sections which move around on a spcial layer of th emantle?

plate tectonics