Plate Tectonics & Earthquakes
Watch plates collide, spread apart and slide past each other to build volcanoes, ridges and earthquakes.
Choose a plate boundary, set the speed, and let millions of years pass. Switch layers on and off (mantle convection, earthquakes, magma, temperature, crust age, magnetic stripes) and press Earthquake to release built-up stress. Drag the plates left or right yourself.
About the Plate Tectonics & Earthquakes
Free plate tectonics & earthquakes. Watch plates collide, spread apart and slide past each other to build volcanoes, ridges and earthquakes. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for earth & space, the plate tectonics & earthquakes runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Watch plates collide, spread apart and slide past each other to build volcanoes, ridges and earthquakes. Use it to explore earth & space ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Plate Tectonics & Earthquakes
- Use the controls to change Boundary, Plate speed, Time lapse (million years per second), Show or hide (click each one). The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Ocean–continent (Andes), Ocean–ocean (island arc), Continent–continent (Himalaya), Mid-ocean ridge to switch modes or load an example.
- Press "Earthquake!", "Reset" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Watch a volcano form at the convergent boundary.
- Speed up the divergent boundary and see new crust stripes.
- Count the earthquakes on the transform fault.
Key ideas you can learn
- The crust is broken into moving plates.
- At convergent boundaries plates collide and one can sink (subduction).
- At divergent boundaries plates move apart and new crust forms.
- At transform boundaries plates slide past and cause earthquakes.
Where this is used in the real world
Understanding plate boundaries helps predict volcanic and earthquake hazards and find mineral and energy resources.
Who is this simulation for?
Astronomy and earth-science students, and teachers who need a visual model to explain what is happening in the sky.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
Why do plates move?
Heat from inside the Earth drives slow convection currents in the mantle, and plates are also pulled by their sinking edges.
What causes an earthquake?
Stress builds up along a fault until the rock suddenly slips and releases energy as waves.
Is the Plate Tectonics & Earthquakes free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Plate Tectonics & Earthquakes work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.