Later, though, this configuration began to break up, resulting in the shattered surface of today. Below the crust lies the asthenosphere, on which the plates rest, moving slowly, four to five centimeters a year.
板塊底下的地函（地殼下的部分）是「軟流圈」（Asthenosphere），板塊在上面就像溜冰一樣，沿著接縫以「慢動作」滑開來，每年滑開四、五公分，久而久之，便成就了今天的五大洲、三大洋。