EARTH SCIENCE
TECTONICS
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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A few millimeters per year.
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A few kilometers per year.
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A few meters per year.
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A few centimeters per year.
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Detailed explanation-1: -They can move at rates of up to four inches (10 centimeters) per year, but most move much slower than that. Different parts of a plate move at different speeds. The plates move in different directions, colliding, moving away from, and sliding past one another.
Detailed explanation-2: -The movement of the plates creates three types of tectonic boundaries: convergent, where plates move into one another; divergent, where plates move apart; and transform, where plates move sideways in relation to each other. They move at a rate of one to two inches (three to five centimeters) per year.
Detailed explanation-3: -The average rate of plate movement is approximately 5 cm/yr (about as fast as fingernails grow). This rate is perceptible but only over a long time.
Detailed explanation-4: -(i) Why do the plates move? Answer: The movement of molten magma inside the earth results in the movement.
Detailed explanation-5: -What can happen when tectonic plates move a few centimeters? The atmosphere can become cooler. Whole continents can move. The ozone layer can thicken.