Tectonic studies are important as guides for economic geologists searching for fossil fuels and ore deposits of metallic and nonmetallic resources. An understanding of tectonic principles can …

Dec 23, 2025 · Plate tectonics, theory dealing with the dynamics of Earth’s outer shell that revolutionized Earth sciences by providing a uniform context for understanding mountain …

Earth’s crust, called the lithosphere, consists of 15 to 20 moving tectonic plates. The plates can be thought of like pieces of a cracked shell that rest on the hot, molten rock of Earth’s mantle and …

A tectonic plate (also called lithospheric plate) is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere.

4 days ago · Tectonics is the study of the plates, the forces acting on them, and their motion. NASA has a variety of tectonic data from an assortment of sources, such as synthetic aperture …

6 days ago · This includes the movements of the Earth’s tectonic plates that result in the creation, destruction and rearrangement of the Earth’s crust and lithosphere.

May 21, 2025 · Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that explains how major landforms are created as a result of Earth’s subterranean movements. The theory, which solidified in the 1960s, …

Feb 10, 2024 · Learn about tectonic plates in geology. Get a tectonic plate map, learn the names of the major plates, and discover the types of boundaries.

TECTONIC definition: 1. relating to the structure of the surface of the earth and the way it is formed, changed, and…. Learn more.

Where and how humans live can be greatly affected by phenomena influenced by tectonic processes. Hover over or click on the icons to learn more about these Earth system connections.