Maakooreplaat

Maakooreplaat, also known as a tectonic plate, is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, composing a distinct segment of the Earth's lithosphere. The lithosphere itself is the rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. These plates are not stationary; they float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere, a ductile layer beneath the lithosphere.

The movement of these maakooreplaats is driven by convection currents within the Earth's mantle. As hotter, less dense material rises and cooler, denser material sinks, it creates a slow, churning motion that drags the overlying plates along. The interactions between these plates at their boundaries are responsible for many of Earth's geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain formation.

There are two main types of maakooreplaats: oceanic and continental. Oceanic plates are thinner and denser, primarily composed of basalt, and are typically found beneath the oceans. Continental plates are thicker and less dense, primarily composed of granite, and form the landmasses of the continents. Where these plates meet, they can diverge (move apart), converge (collide), or slide past each other. These processes continuously shape and reshape the Earth's surface over geological timescales.