Plate Tectonics

The theory, or idea, of plate tectonics, says that Earth's outer layer is made up of large, moving pieces called plates. All of Earth's land and water sit on these plates. The plates are made of solid rock. Under the plates is a weaker layer of partially melted rock. The plates are constantly moving over this weaker layer.

The plates that make up Earth's crust are of different shapes and sizes.

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Plate Movements

As the plates move, they interact at their boundaries in different ways. At one type of boundary, the plates slide alongside each other. In another type, the plates crash into each other. In this case, the edge of one plate may slide under another plate and be destroyed. Or the two edges of the plates may rise and form mountains. At the third type of boundary, the plates move apart. When they do, the melted rock beneath the plates rises. This melted rock, or magma, cools as it rises and forms a new crust.

Four images show the location of Earth's continents at various times between 225 million years ago and the present.

Earthquakes and volcanoes often happen along plate boundaries. There are so many earthquakes and volcanoes at the edges of the Pacific Plate that this region is called the Ring of Fire.

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Continental Drift

The plates have moved across Earth's surface for hundreds of years. As the plates move, the continents move, too. This movement is called continental drift.

The land on Earth is constantly moving. Over millions of years, the continents broke apart from a single landmass called Pangea and moved to their present positions.

Scientists think it takes about 500 million years for all the continents to join together into one big continent—or supercontinent—and then break apart again. Many supercontinents have formed and broken apart on Earth over time. The most recent supercontinent, Pangea (or Pangaea), formed about 270 million years ago. Pangea lay across a plate boundary. Slowly, Pangea broke apart at this boundary. Rising magma filled the space, eventually becoming the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.

One piece of Pangea included parts of what are now North America, Europe, and Asia. This piece, called Laurasia, drifted north. The other piece of Pangea included parts of what are now Antarctica, Africa, South America, and Australia. This part, called Gondwanaland, drifted south. Eventually, Laurasia and Gondwanaland broke apart, too. The continents then slowly moved to the places they are now.

The continents continue to move today. Scientists believe that they will join together again in about 250 million years.