Lithospheric plates are large, rigid sections of the Earth’s lithosphere that move over the more ductile asthenosphere. The interaction of these plates at their boundaries results in significant geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain building. The study of lithospheric plates is fundamental to the theory of plate tectonics.
Reference: Gordon, R. G. (1998). “The Plate Tectonic Approximation: Plate Nonrigidity, Diffuse Plate Boundaries, and Global Plate Reconstructions.” Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 26(1), 615-642.