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tectonic plates ![click to hear : tectonic plates click to hear : tectonic plates](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Immense portions of the lithosphere that slide over the asthenosphere; this shifting movement shapes the Earth’s topography.
Cocos Plate ![click to hear : Cocos Plate click to hear : Cocos Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate along the coast of Mexico and Central America; it is sinking beneath the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate.
North American Plate ![click to hear : North American Plate click to hear : North American Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Together with the Pacific Plate, this plate creates the San Andreas Fault (1,200 km), which extends from the Gulf of California to San Francisco.
Antarctic Plate ![click to hear : Antarctic Plate click to hear : Antarctic Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
The largest plate; it is stationary.
Australian-Indian Plate ![click to hear : Australian-Indian Plate click to hear : Australian-Indian Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate that is moving north 7 cm per year; it forms the Red Sea by means of divergence from the African Plate.
Philippine Plate ![click to hear : Philippine Plate click to hear : Philippine Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate that forms the Philippines archipelago by means of subduction with the Eurasian Plate.
Eurasian Plate ![click to hear : Eurasian Plate click to hear : Eurasian Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate converging with the Australian-Indian Plate; it created the Himalayas.
African Plate ![click to hear : African Plate click to hear : African Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate that, diverging from the South American Plate, forms an underwater mountain chain.
South American Plate ![click to hear : South American Plate click to hear : South American Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate that forms the Andes cordillera by means of subduction with the Nazca Plate.
Scotia Plate ![click to hear : Scotia Plate click to hear : Scotia Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Small plate under which the Antarctic Plate and part of the South American Plate are sliding.
Nazca Plate ![click to hear : Nazca Plate click to hear : Nazca Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
One of the most rapidly shifting plates, moving 7 cm per year.
Caribbean Plate ![click to hear : Caribbean Plate click to hear : Caribbean Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plate subducting under the American plates; the Caribbean Plate created the islands of the Lesser Antilles.
Pacific Plate ![click to hear : Pacific Plate click to hear : Pacific Plate](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
The only entirely oceanic plate, it is also among the most rapidly shifting plates (10 cm per year).
convergent plate boundaries ![click to hear : convergent plate boundaries click to hear : convergent plate boundaries](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plates that collide, triggering either subduction or folding, which results in the creation of mountains.
divergent plate boundaries ![click to hear : divergent plate boundaries click to hear : divergent plate boundaries](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Plates that are moving apart, causing magma to appear, which solidifies to generate a new crust.
subduction ![click to hear : subduction click to hear : subduction](../../images/speaker-vert.gif)
Phenomenon by which an oceanic plate slides under a continental plate or under another oceanic plate, resulting in a trench.