In some ways, Earth resembles a giant jigsaw puzzle.

That is because its outer surface is

composed of about 20 tectonic plates, enormous sections of Earth’s crust that roughly fit
together and meet at places called plate boundaries.

Plate boundaries are important because they are often associated

with earthquakes and volcanoes. When Earth’s tectonic plates grind past one another,
enormous amounts of energy can be released in the form of earthquakes. Volcanoes are
also often found near plate boundaries because molten rock from deep within Earth—
called magma—can travel upward at these intersections between plates.

There are many different types of plate boundaries. For example, sections of Earth’s crust
can come together and collide (a “convergent” plate boundary), spread apart (a
“divergent” plate boundary), or slide past one another (a “transform” plate boundary).
Each of these types of plate boundaries is associated with different geological features.

Typically, a convergent plate boundary—such as the one between the Indian Plate and
the Eurasian Plate—forms towering mountain ranges, like the Himalaya, as Earth’s crust
is crumpled and pushed upward. In some cases, however,
a convergent plate boundary can result in one tectonic plate diving underneath another.
This process, called “subduction,” involves an older, denser tectonic plate being forced
deep into the planet underneath a younger, less-dense tectonic plate. When this process
occurs in the ocean, an trench">ocean trench can form. These trenches are some of the
deepest places in the ocean, and they are often the sites of strong earthquakes.

When subduction occurs, a chain of volcanoes often develops near

the convergent plate boundary. One such chain of volcanoes can be found on the western
coast of the United States, spanning across the states of California, Oregon, and
Washington.

A divergent plate boundary often forms a mountain chain known as a ridge. This feature
forms as magma escapes into the space between the spreading tectonic plates. One
example of a ridge is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an undersea chain of mountains that
formed as two pairs of tectonic plates spread apart: the North American Plate and the
Eurasian Plate in the north, and the South American Plate and the African Plate in the
south. Because ocean ridges are found underwater, often at great depths, they can be hard
to study. In fact, scientists know more about the surfaces of some of the other planets in
our solar system than they do about ocean ridges.

A transform plate boundary occurs when two plates slide past each other, horizontally. A
well-known transform plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault, which is responsible for
many of California’s earthquakes.
In some ways, Earth resembles a giant jigsaw puzzle. That is because its outer surface is
composed of about 20 tectonic plates, enormous sections of Earth’s crust that roughly fit
together and meet at places called plate boundaries.

Plate boundaries are important because they are often associated

with earthquakes and volcanoes. When Earth’s tectonic plates grind past one another,
enormous amounts of energy can be released in the form of earthquakes. Volcanoes are
also often found near plate boundaries because molten rock from deep within Earth—
called magma—can travel upward at these intersections between plates.

There are many different types of plate boundaries. For example, sections of Earth’s crust
can come together and collide (a “convergent” plate boundary), spread apart (a
“divergent” plate boundary), or slide past one another (a “transform” plate boundary).
Each of these types of plate boundaries is associated with different geological features.

Typically, a convergent plate boundary—such as the one between the Indian Plate and
the Eurasian Plate—forms towering mountain ranges, like the Himalaya, as Earth’s crust
is crumpled and pushed upward. In some cases, however,
a convergent plate boundary can result in one tectonic plate diving underneath another.
This process, called “subduction,” involves an older, denser tectonic plate being forced
deep into the planet underneath a younger, less-dense tectonic plate. When this process
occurs in the ocean, an trench">ocean trench can form. These trenches are some of the
deepest places in the ocean, and they are often the sites of strong earthquakes.

When subduction occurs, a chain of volcanoes often develops near

the convergent plate boundary. One such chain of volcanoes can be found on the western
coast of the United States, spanning across the states of California, Oregon, and
Washington.

A divergent plate boundary often forms a mountain chain known as a ridge. This feature
forms as magma escapes into the space between the spreading tectonic plates. One
example of a ridge is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an undersea chain of mountains that
formed as two pairs of tectonic plates spread apart: the North American Plate and the
Eurasian Plate in the north, and the South American Plate and the African Plate in the
south. Because ocean ridges are found underwater, often at great depths, they can be hard
to study. In fact, scientists know more about the surfaces of some of the other planets in
our solar system than they do about ocean ridges.

A transform plate boundary occurs when two plates slide past each other, horizontally. A
well-known transform plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault, which is responsible for
many of California’s earthquakes.

A single tectonic plate can have multiple types of plate boundaries with the
other plates that surround it. For instance, the Pacific Plate, one of Earth’s
largest tectonic plates, includes convergent, divergent, and transform plate boundaries