Physics
What forces shape the movement of continents?
Quick fact
Earth's continents move a few centimetres each year due to tectonic plate movement.
Why this is interesting
The continents we know today are only temporary positions on a constantly changing planet.
Read the full explanation
Understanding What forces shape the movement of continents?
Plate tectonics explains the formation of mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, and the changing arrangement of continents.
A deeper explanation
Earth's outer shell is divided into large tectonic plates that slowly move over the mantle. Their collisions and separations create some of the planet's greatest features, from mountain ranges to ocean trenches. Over hundreds of millions of years, this process has repeatedly assembled and broken apart supercontinents.