Here's why:
* Tectonic plates are large pieces of the Earth's lithosphere (the rigid outer layer of the Earth). They are made up of both the crust and the uppermost mantle.
* Continents are large landmasses that sit on top of tectonic plates.
Think of it like this: A continent is like a house built on a foundation. The foundation is the tectonic plate, and the house is the continent.
Here's an example:
* The North American continent sits on top of the North American Plate.
It's important to understand the difference between these two terms.
