Tectonic Plates Are pieces of Earth’s crust that moves atop a “fluid-like” mantle Comes from Greek word meaning “one who constructs” 10 major plates, 8 minor plates. Many small micro plates. AKA: Lithospheric Plates

Divergent Boundary Boundary between two plates moving away from each other. Think DIVIDING Molten lava moves up and fills the gap between plates. Rises and eventually cools forming new ocean floor. Ex: MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE

Convergent Boundary Boundary between two colliding plates. Plates only move a few centimeters per year. Collisions are slow and last millions of years. Will find mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Examples: Himalayan Mountains – Mount Everest

Transform Boundary Boundary between two plates sliding horizontally past each other. Find earthquakes at this boundary. Example: San Andreas Fault in California. Los Angeles and San Francisco are moving towards each other at 2 inches per year, in about 10 million years they will be side by side