3 different TYPES of TECTONIC plates and the 14 most IMPORTANT

One of the most interesting characteristics of our planet is that we can say that it is alive, since all of it is in a process constant of motion. The ground we walk on consists of a huge number of plates that form a kind of huge puzzle, being elements in constant movement and change that deform our landscape. To talk about the different classes of these elements in this lesson from a Teacher we must talk about the types of tectonic plates.

Index

1. what are tectonic plates?
2. Types of tectonic plates
3. What are the 14 tectonic plates?

A tectonic plate or lithospheric plate is a piece of the so-called lithosphere that performs a movement like a rigid landform on the upper mantle of our planet. Plate tectonics is what explains why our planet is in constant movement and change of its surface.

The lithosphere is formed by several tectonic plates, which are in continuous movement, modifying what we understand as the terrestrial landscape.

Tectonic plates move for two main causes, these being the convection currents and gravity. Both kinds of movements are very different, but they allow them to be totally in motion and therefore vital to the maintenance of the surface of our planet.

When talking about the types of tectonic plates we must bear in mind that, depending on the type of crust that arises on the surface, we can speak of two or three types of tectonic plates. For this reason, in this lesson from a Professor, we must comment more or less extensively on the relevance of these kinds of plates and what their importance is.

Ocean plates

They are all those tectonic plates that are found totally submerged within the ocean and that, therefore, are linked to the great water currents that populate our planet. The only ways that these plates protrude from the oceans can be two:

• The existence of large marine volcanoes that rise above sea level.
• That in the upper zone there are islands, since the island coasts usually have elements of oceanic tectonic plates.

The shape of oceanic plates and what differentiates them from other plates is that they have a great thinness, being thinner than normal and with a high content in magnesium and iron.

Continental plates

We continue to know the different types of tectonic plates to speak, now, of the continental plates. They are all those tectonic plates that are found covered by continental crust, that is, from what we know as continents and that make up the land we walk on. As a general rule, continental plates do not contain their entire surface on the earth, but part of its form is contained in the water zone, occupying part of the land part and part of the ocean.

Mixed plates

Mixed plates are those types of tectonic plates that contain oceanic and continental elements, therefore having a part of its surface covered by a continental crust and the other part by an oceanic crust.

This type of plates are considered as the common, and many scholars consider that there are no continental plates, but that all of them are mixed because it is very difficult for a continental plate to have very little terrestrial matter.

To finish this lesson on types of tectonic plates, we must talk about all those that exist along throughout the world, since at present we can say that there are 56 that we find along the mantle of the Land. Of these 56, it is often said that there are 14 most important, counting with greater relevance for numerous reasons. These relevant plates are the following:

1. African Plate: Covers the African area almost completely, except for a small area in the northern part.
2. Antarctic Plate: It occupies the whole of Antarctica and also the surrounding oceans.
3. Arabic plate: Located on the Arabian peninsula and with a small part of the Middle East, it arises from a break in the African plate.
4. Plate of Coconuts: Near the Caribbean plate is where the great volcanic arches of the Central American zone are formed.
5. Juan de Fuca plaque: A small plate located in western North America.
6. Nazca plate: It is found both in the Pacific Ocean area and in the South American area, forming the Andes.
7. Caribbean Plate: A plate that occupies the part that we know as the Caribbean.
8. Pacific Plate: One of the largest plates in the world occupying almost the entire Pacific area.
9. Eurasian Plate: It covers almost all the continents of Europe and Asia, except the areas of India, Arabia and the Russian North Siberian.
10. Philippine Plate: A small plate located in the Philippine area.
11. Indo-Australian plate: Emerged from the union of two plates millions of years ago, it occupies the area of ​​India, Australia and New Zealand.
12. North American plate: The largest plate in the world occupies parts of North America and quite a few nearby islands.
13. Scotia Badge: A small plate in southern South America.
14. South American plate: A huge plaque located in the area of ​​South America.

Image: Concept

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of tectonic plates, we recommend that you enter our category of geology.

Fernández, C., Alfaro, P., Alonso, G. G., & Chaves, F. M. TO. (2019). What moves tectonic plates? Earth Sciences Teaching, 27 (3), 238-245.

López-Ruiz, J., & Cebriá, J. M. (2015). Plate volcanism and tectonics. Teaching of Earth Sciences, 23 (1), 12-12.

Velásquez, C. V. (2009). Subdivision of the Nazca Plate in three new tectonic plates and their incidence with the current Peruvian seismicity. Journal of the Research Institute of the Faculty of Geology, Mines, Metallurgy and Geographical Sciences, 12 (23), 77-87.