Crustal Plate (Noun)
Meaning
A rigid layer of the Earth's crust that is believed to drift slowly.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- The crustal plate is broken into several large pieces that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and move independently of each other.
- These large crustal plates make up the lithosphere, the outermost solid layer of the planet.
- Geologists have divided the Earth's crust into several major and minor crustal plates, each with its own distinct characteristics.
- As the crustal plate moves, the rocks within it are subjected to stresses that can cause them to deform and eventually break.
- The movement of the crustal plates is responsible for the formation of mountain ranges, volcanoes, and the creation of oceanic and continental trenches.