SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -Together, the crust and the upper part of the mantle form the lithosphere, Earth’s solid outer shell. This rocky, brittle layer is broken up into seven major and several minor tectonic plates (also known as lithospheric plates) that fit together like puzzle pieces.

Detailed explanation-2: -Earth has seven large plates (Pacific, North American, South American, Eurasian, African, IndoAustralian, and Antarctic plates), seven smaller plates (Juan de Fuca, Caribbean, Cocos, Nazca, Scotia, Arabian, and Philippine plates), and several microplates (Figure 1; Bird, 2003).

Detailed explanation-3: -The lithosphere of Earth is broken into several irregularly shaped parts, called lithospheric plates or tectonic plates. There are seven major tectonic plates on Earth.

Detailed explanation-4: -When we talk about tectonic or lithospheric plates, we mean the sections into which the lithosphere is cracked. The surface of the Earth is divided into 7 major and 8 minor plates. The largest plates are the Antarctic, Eurasian, and North American plates.