How Fast Do Tectonic Plates Move?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How fast do tectonic plates move?

The Big Idea

Tectonic plates move about as fast as your fingernails grow! That is around 2 to 10 centimeters a year. It is slow, but slow and steady can move whole continents.

A Slow Crawl

Step one: a slow crawl. You cannot feel a plate move, because it creeps along so slowly. Some move 2 centimeters a year, and the fastest move about 10. That is still very, very slow.

Add It Up

Step two: add it up. A tiny move each year becomes a big move over millions of years. In 100 million years, a plate moving 4 centimeters a year travels about 4,000 kilometers.

How We Know

Step three: how we know. Scientists use GPS stations that measure the ground's position very exactly. They also read clues in rock, like magnetic stripes on the seafloor.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Plates move at about fingernail speed. GPS stations track tiny shifts in the ground. Rocks hold magnetic clues from the past. And over millions of years, it all adds up.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Slow and steady can still move continents. The Atlantic is getting wider every year. A plate moving 4 centimeters a year moves 40 kilometers in a million years. Plates move because the rock below them flows very slowly.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Say a plate moves 4 centimeters a year. Multiply by 90 years, for a long life. That is 360 centimeters, or about 3.6 meters. That is about the length of a small car! Now try a million years, which is about 40 kilometers. Compare it with the width of your classroom.

Outro

Plates move as slowly as fingernails grow. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!