Can tectonic plates collapse and be destroyed? Is it possible that new tectonic plates are able to form?
Can tectonic plates collapse and be destroyed? Is it possible that new tectonic plates are able to form?
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Tectonic plates can't really "collapse" or be destroyed, but they can undergo subduction, where one plate is forced beneath another plate into the Earth's mantle. This process happens when two plates collide, and one plate is denser than the other. As for the formation of new tectonic plates, it's aRead more
Tectonic plates can’t really “collapse” or be destroyed, but they can undergo subduction, where one plate is forced beneath another plate into the Earth’s mantle. This process happens when two plates collide, and one plate is denser than the other.
As for the formation of new tectonic plates, it’s a more complex process. Tectonic plates are pieces of the Earth’s lithosphere, which is the solid outermost layer that includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle. The lithosphere is broken up into several large and many small plates that move relative to each other.
New lithosphere is formed at mid-ocean ridges, where magma rises to the surface and solidifies to form new crust. As new crust is formed, it pushes the older crust away from the ridge and eventually into subduction zones.
So, while new lithosphere is constantly being formed at mid-ocean ridges, it doesn’t necessarily mean that entirely new tectonic plates are being formed. Rather, the lithosphere is constantly recycled as older crust is pushed into subduction zones and new crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges
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