In 1965 J. Tuzo Wilson observed that the earths plates were cracked and not whole.

THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS EXPLAINS THE FORMATION, MOVEMENT ,AND SUBDUCTION OF EARTHS PLATES

PLATE BOUNDARIES

• Convergant: two plates move together
• Divergant: two plates move apart
• Transform: two plates slip past each other

PLATE MOTIONS OVER TIME

• The plates are moving very very slowly
• They only move about the length of your fingernail

Over millions and millions of years the earths plates have been moving very very very very slowly. The Pacific Ocean has even been getting smaller every year only about the length of your fingernail though.