answersLogoWhite

0

The pieces of the Earth's crust that move and float on top of molten rock are called tectonic plates. These plates are large sections of the lithosphere that glide over the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them. Their movement is driven by convection currents in the underlying mantle, leading to geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

User Avatar

AnswerBot

3d ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

Which of the earths layers is broken into several pieces?

The Earth's lithosphere is broken into several pieces known as tectonic plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them and constantly move, leading to activities like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions at their boundaries.


What is the ocean of molten rock on which the continents float called?

The ocean of molten rock beneath Earth's crust is called the mantle. The movement of the molten rock in the mantle is responsible for driving the motion of tectonic plates, which are like giant puzzle pieces that make up Earth's surface.


What is the name given to huge pieces of earths crust?

The huge pieces of Earth's crust are called tectonic plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them and are responsible for various geological activities, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mountain ranges. The movement and interaction of these plates shape the Earth's surface over geological time.


What are moving pieces under the earths surface that form the earths crust?

Tectonic plates are the moving pieces under the Earth's surface that form the Earth's crust. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere and interact with each other through processes like subduction, spreading, and collision, which contribute to the shaping of Earth's surface features.


What are pieces of crust called?

Pieces of crust are called "tectonic plates." These large sections of the Earth's crust float on the semi-fluid mantle beneath them and move due to convection currents. The interactions between these plates can lead to geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

Related Questions

What do the plates that form the earths crust float on?

There called tectonic plates, and they do not float on anything.


What part of earth contains plates?

The lithosphere is the part of the Earth that contains tectonic plates. These plates are divided pieces of the lithosphere that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them.


Why does the crust float on the surface of the various molten layers?

It has a lower density than the mantel and the core.


Why does water float on Earth's surface?

Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust, it floats lower in earths mantle.


What does earths plates float on?

Earth is made up of: the inner core, the outer core, the mantle, and the crust. The crust of the earth, or the outer rocky layer, is divided between oceanic crust and continental crust. These crusts float atop the mantle, which is made up of very hot molten rock. All of the continents, including Australia, are constantly moving, or floating.


Which of the earths layers is broken into several pieces?

The Earth's lithosphere is broken into several pieces known as tectonic plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them and constantly move, leading to activities like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions at their boundaries.


What is the ocean of molten rock on which the continents float called?

The ocean of molten rock beneath Earth's crust is called the mantle. The movement of the molten rock in the mantle is responsible for driving the motion of tectonic plates, which are like giant puzzle pieces that make up Earth's surface.


What is the earths crust made of?

The crust of the Earth is made of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rock.


What is the theory that explains how large pieces of Earths outermost layer move around?

The theory that explains how large pieces of Earth's outermost layer move around is called plate tectonics. This theory states that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into several plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below, causing them to move due to the convection currents in the mantle.


What are moving pieces under the earths surface that form the earths crust?

Tectonic plates are the moving pieces under the Earth's surface that form the Earth's crust. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere and interact with each other through processes like subduction, spreading, and collision, which contribute to the shaping of Earth's surface features.


What plates float on a underlying molten layer?

Tectonic plates float on an underlying molten layer.


What is lithospheric plates?

Lithospheric plates are large, rigid pieces of Earth's outermost layer, the lithosphere. These plates include both the continental crust and the outermost part of the mantle and float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them. The movement and interactions of these plates are responsible for many geologic processes, such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain building.