Unveiling Earth's Tectonic Plates and Swirling Core
Earth's surface is divided into tectonic plates, with estimates ranging from 12 to 14 primary plates covering most of the planet. The largest plates include North American, African, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, South American, Antarctic, and Pacific plates. Additionally, there are smaller plates such as the Philippine Sea, Cocos, Nazca, Arabian, and Juan de Fuca. Plate boundaries can further splinter into microplates, with an estimated 57 on Earth. The Pacific Plate is the fastest-moving, and its motion is caused by subduction zones along the Ring of Fire. The future appearance of Earth's plate-encrusted surface remains uncertain.