Pasika: Sezvo mahwendefa e tectonic anotama, mahwendefa makuru manomwe ari pasi pemakona ekutanga emapuranga pamiganhu inosangana. Panguva imwecheteyo, kusimuka kwemashoko emantle pamiganhu yakasiyana kunogadzira mid-ocean ridges. Kubatanidzwa kwemaitiro aya kunodzokorora mahwendefa e oceanic kudzokera mukati memantle. Nekuda kwekudzokorora uku, yakawanda yepasi pegungwa iri pasi pe 100 Ma. Hwendefa rekare re oceanic iri muWestern Pacific uye inofungidzirwa kuva 200 Ma. Nokuenzanisa, yekare kare ye continental crust ndeye 4,030 Ma. Mahwendefa manomwe makuru ePacific, North American, Eurasian, African, Antarctic, Indo-Australian, uye South American. Mamwe mahwendefa anosanganisira Caribbean Plate, Plate yeArabian, Plate yeCocca Plate yeIndia uye Plate yeAustralia iri kuenderera mberi nekukurumidza pamhenderekedzo yeAtlantic Ocean.
mahwendefa egungwa