Tectonic plate

Tectonic plate‏‎

A tectonic plate (also called lithospheric plate) is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere. Plate size can vary greatly, from a few hundred to thousands of kilometers across; the Pacific and Antarctic Plates are among the largest for the planet Earth.

Almost all terrestial class / rock type planets with a molten / still molten core have tectonic plates.

The movement, collision and effects caused by the movement of Tectonic plates are the reasons for Earthquakes (Tectonic tremors)