The lithosphere is broken up into many small sections/areas called crustal plates or tectonic plates. These tectonic plates fit into one another like jigsaw puzzle blocks. These plates are in constant motion but the movement is very slow that is about 3 cm per year. The motion of these tectonic plates is responsible for the change in the shape of continents and oceans. These plates are divided into two types: minor plates and major plates. If the boundaries of these plates bump up against one another while the movement, it can cause an earthquake.
Tectonic Plates
