In what 3 ways can tectonic plates move?

[poppyj]

Yeah basically what 3 ways can tectonic plates move? Thanks xxx

[snaykz]

Not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but tectonic plates can move parallel to each other, causing earthquakes/tremors. They can also push against each other to form ridges such as mountain ranges (try pointing your hands towards each other, palms flat facing downwards, and pushing together for an example of how this happens). Also when they push together, one could slide over the other, with the underneath plate slowly being reabsorbed by the Earth's mantle (the very hot section below the crust).

[poppyj]

thats great thank u!

[Waterwolf]

And they can also move apart, releasing the magma (which is just the name for lava when it's beneath the Earth's crust).

[gmc2002]

When one plate goes under the other, that is described as a subdution zone.

[Obo]

I assume you are talking about relative motion at plate boundaries as opposed to what causes tectonic plates to move. If this is the case then there are three main classifications on plate boundary.

Divergent Boundaries - Where plates are moving apart and new crust is created by magma pushing up from the mantle. The best know example of a divergent plate boundary is the Mid Atlantic ridge

As the size of the Earth has remained constant for at least the last 600 million years then this creation of new crust must be balanced by an equal amount of crust being destoyed

This occurs at Convergent plate boundaries where two plates collide. The outcome of this collision depends on the type of plates colliding (there are three possibilities Oceanic - Oceanic e.g. Marianas trench, Continental - Oceanic e.g. W. Coast of S. America & Continental - Continental e.g. The Himalayas)

The third type is a Transform boundary where to plates slide past eachother and crust is neither created or destroyed. The best known example of this is the San Andreas fault zone in California.

Hope this helps