USGS - science for a changing world

The USGS Visitors Center at the National Center in Reston, Virginia

Maps, Imagery, and Publications Hazards Newsroom Education Jobs Partnerships Library About USGS Social Media

Earth Science Quiz Answer to when dinosaurs lived

 

The outer layer or crust of the Earth consists of about a dozen large, irregularly shaped plates that slide over, under, and past each other on top of the partly molten inner layer. dynamic planet map
friction between tectonic plates Most earthquakes occur at the boundaries where the plates meet.  In fact, the locations of earthquakes and the kinds of ruptures they produce help scientists define the plate boundaries.

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.usgs.gov/visitors/plates.asp
Page Contact Information: Ask USGS
Page Last Modified: Friday, October 02, 2009