Oceanic Plates

Oceanic plates are large sections of Earth's crust beneath the oceans, composed mainly of dense, basaltic rock. They make up the ocean floor and are constantly moving due to convection currents in the Earth's mantle. When two oceanic plates meet, they can create features like deep-sea trenches or cause one plate to slide beneath the other in a process called subduction, which can lead to volcanic activity. These plates are thinner and denser than continental plates, which is why they form the deep ocean basins. Their movement shapes ocean landscapes and influences geological activity worldwide.