Continental plates and their meaning
Are you interested in the structure of the earth and would like to know what continental plates are? Then a simple explanation will help you.
The earth and its structure
- Everyone learns at school that the planet earth consists of several layers. There is the hot, liquid core of the earth, surrounded by thick layers of rock, which is finally followed by the so-called earth crust on the very outside.
- This earth crust is the only part that is consciously perceived by mankind, because it is inhabited and used by humans. The earth's crust consists of oceanic parts - the sea floor - and continental parts. And this is exactly what the following is about.
Interesting facts about the continental plates
- The continental plates are therefore the continental part of the earth's crust. But there weren't always that many of these records.
- It is believed that several hundred million years ago the earth had only two continental plates, which scientists named Gondwana and Laurasia.
- Over time, these plates should have drifted apart. The reasons for this are not clear, but what is certain is that earthquakes repeatedly lead to shifts between the continental plates.
- So it came about that, depending on the definition, there are between five and seven continental plates today.
- The most common division is based on the five continents Europe, America, Australia, Asia and Africa.
- However, some scientists also count the Arctic as a separate continent, Antarctica, and divide America into North and South America.
- The largest continental plate in terms of area is Asia, the smallest is Australia.
- Overall, the continental plates do not even take up thirty percent of the earth's surface. The rest is covered by seas and islands.
Tectonic plates - explanation of the term
The term tectonic plate comes up mostly when on the news about a ...
How helpful do you find this article?
