Current theory
Today we believe that thousands of years ago there was a super continent, Pangaea. That eventually moved farther and farther apart to create the seven continents we have today.( North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia) The term for the spreading of the continents is called continental drift. This basically means the continents aren't stationary.
The plates are not done moving. Plate boundaries move in three different ways: convergent, divergent and transform boundaries. Convergent Boundaries are When two plates move towards each other. Convergent boundaries can form mountains and/or volcanos. Divergent Boundaries move apart from each other. |
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Divergent boundaries can create rift valleys and ocean trenches. Last but not least, Transform Boundaries happen when two plates move horizontally against each other in opposite direction . Movement of transform boundaries often result in earthquake or tsunamis.