Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's crust is broken into large plates that float on the semi-molten mantle and move slowly over time (a few cm per year). Their interactions at boundaries shape mountains, oceans, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
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4.1 Plate Tectonics
Part of Earth Systems and Resources in AP® Environmental Science. Read the opening section, then create a free account for the full interactive lesson, practice, and progress tracking.
In this unit
9 lessons
- 4.1Plate TectonicsThis lesson
- 4.2Soil Formation and ErosionPreview lesson
- 4.3Soil Composition and PropertiesPreview lesson
- 4.4Earth’s AtmospherePreview lesson
- 4.5Global Wind PatternsPreview lesson
- 4.6WatershedsPreview lesson
- 4.7Solar Radiation and Earth’s SeasonsPreview lesson
- 4.8Earth’s Geography and ClimatePreview lesson
- 4.9El Niño and La NiñaPreview lesson
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