2007-07-06 14:24:51 · 4 answers · asked by Joshua Tamayo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Most likely when the planet began to cool and differentiate. This is a little while after the initial formation of the planet. As it started to cool the heavier elements like iron an nickel sank toward the center making the cores and the lighter elements like silicon, oxygen, aluminum, etc rose to create the mantle and the crust. As the crust cooled it did not cool as one solid shell. It had cracks in it and these cracks acted as boundaries for the plates. These plates began to move on the aesthenosphere giving rise to continental drift and plate tectonics.
2007-07-06 14:31:15 · answer #1 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The science of plate tectonics is a means of measuring how old the earth actually is. The plates that formed our continents have taken 210 million years to move from where they were to where the continents are now, moving at about 1" per year. The earth is estimated to be 4.3 billion years old.
2007-07-06 21:43:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) That's when our planet's plates formed.
2007-07-06 21:34:47 · answer #3 · answered by Laredo 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A long long time ago.
15billion yearish.
2007-07-06 21:33:15 · answer #4 · answered by :Danielle 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋