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Pattern of plates

We must remember that we call rigid lithosphere layer formed by the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. Today we know that the lithosphere is broken into large pieces which we call pattern of plates .
The composition of Earth's mantle, for the most part, consists of a type of rock called peridotite , however, the continental crust is formed mainly by granite (rock lighter than peridotite) and the oceanic crust by basalt (rock as or denser than peridotite).
That said, the lithospheric plates can be classified into three types:
a) Ocean , consisting mostly of basalt
b) Continental , formed mostly by granite
c) Mixed formed by granite and basalt
Due to convection currents that are created in the mantle (The inner parts get hotter and rise to take their place the highest areas that fall, so at a lower temperature). These currents carry away the plates located above and move can produce three types of movements:
1) Separating.
When two plates separate, the mantle material emerges from the crack that is between them (RIFT), this material forms large ridges called submarine elevations ocean whose average height is 2,000 m

2) or colliding Colliding
When two plates collide, the denser sinks under the slightest. If h is unde consists of basalt (oceanic crust), it will sink into the mantle forming an area called subduction zone. Are processes related to the area the appearance of volcanoes, ocean trenches, the emergence of some islands, etc.
3) Sliding
can occur where two plates slide lengthwise against each other, in this case, the energy concentration of such friction will result in areas of intense seismic activity. Nowadays there is evidence of the existence of 14 plates are: 1
Pacific Plate 2 PLATE 3 PLATE AMERICAN SOUTH AMERICA

4 PLATE 5 PLATE AFRICAN AUSTRALIAN
NAZCA PLATE 6 PLATE 7 PLATE 8 PHILIPPINE COCONUT
9 EURASIAN PLATE 10 PLATE 11 PLATE ARABIAN
ANTARCTIC PLATE INDEX
12 13 14 CARIBBEAN PLATE PLATE PLATE SCOTCH
15 JUAN DE FUCA

To see the location of each of them extends the image on the right clicking on it.