plate tectonics
noun [ U ] geology specialized uk/ˌpleɪt tekˈtɒn.ɪks/ us/ˌpleɪt tekˈtɑː.nɪks/
板块构造学（研究地球表面是如何形成的、其不同部分如何移动以及这种移动会产生什么效应）
the study of how the surface of the earth is formed, how the separate pieces of it move, and the effects of this movement