Major and Minor plates

Question 1

Pacific Plate

Answer 1

Largest plate on Earth, mostly under the Pacific Ocean. Responsible for the Ring of Fire (volcanic and earthquake activity).

Question 2

North American Plate

Answer 2

Covers North America, parts of the Atlantic, and Siberia. Interacts with the Pacific Plate at the San Andreas Fault.

Question 3

South American Plate

Answer 3

Covers South America and part of the Atlantic Ocean. Collides with the Nazca Plate, forming the Andes Mountains.

Question 4

African Plate

Answer 4

Includes Africa and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Great Rift Valley marks a splitting zone within the plate.

Question 5

Eurasian Plate

Answer 5

Covers Europe and Asia (except the Indian subcontinent). Collides with the Indian Plate, forming the Himalayas.

Question 6

Indo-Australian Plate

Answer 6

Includes India, Australia, and surrounding ocean areas. The Indian subplate is moving northward, pushing into Eurasia.

Question 7

Antarctic Plate

Answer 7

Covers Antarctica and extends into surrounding oceans. Mostly a divergent boundary, slowly moving outward.

Question 8

Nazca Plate

Answer 8

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, off South America. Subducts under the South American Plate, causing the Andes and Peru-Chile Trench.

Question 9

Cocos Plate

Answer 9

In the eastern Pacific, near Central America. Subducts under the Caribbean Plate, causing volcanic activity.

Question 10

Caribbean Plate

Answer 10

Covers the Caribbean Sea and parts of Central America. Interacts with the North American and Cocos Plates.

Question 11

Arabian Plate

Answer 11

Covers the Arabian Peninsula. Colliding with the Eurasian Plate, uplifting the Zagros Mountains.

Question 12

Philippine Sea Plate

Answer 12

East of the Philippines. Involved in complex subduction zones, contributing to regional volcanoes and earthquakes.

Question 13

Scotia Plate

Answer 13

Located between South America and Antarctica. A small plate with complex boundaries, prone to seismic activity.

Question 14

Plate Tectonics

Answer 14

Earth’s lithosphere is divided into rigid plates moving over the semi-fluid asthenosphere.

Question 15

Convergent Boundary

Answer 15

Plates collide, forming mountains or subduction zones.

Question 16

Divergent Boundary

Answer 16

Plates move apart, creating mid-ocean ridges or rift valleys.

Question 17

Transform Boundary

Answer 17

Plates slide past each other, causing fault lines and earthquakes.