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- pronunciation:
- tek
ta
nihk
pleIt
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
A tectonic plate is one of the parts of the outer layer of planet Earth. Tectonic plates cover the whole planet and make up both the land that humans and animals live on and the land under the oceans. Tectonic plates move very, very slowly, and they touch each other as they move. Sometimes this contact between the tectonic plates causes things like volcanoes, earthquakes, and the building up of mountains.
Scientists are carefully watching the movement of these two tectonic plates, hoping to predict when an earthquake is likely to happen. |
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