
3D model of Earth plates - DrSheldon
http://www.the-dialogue.com/en/en66-how-plate-tectonics-is-connected-with-life-on-the-planet/
======
philipov
> _Also, the Earth is the only planet in the Solar system whose outer crust is
> broken into plates._

There is new evidence that Mercury is also techtonically active, so the above
statement is not to be taken for granted.

[]: [https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/tectonically-active-
plane...](https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/tectonically-active-planet-
mercury)

------
tboyd47
Look at the second-to-last image and count how many arrows are pointing
outward from the plate boundaries as opposed to inward. Shouldn't you see an
equal number of outward and inward arrows? Or is this just a poor
visualization?

~~~
brudgers
I think if the forces were balanced, then the plates would not be moving and
storing potential energy. The revolutionary idea of Plate Tectonics was
modeling the earth as a large scale dynamic system.

