Final answer:
Continental plates make up the world's continents and North America is an example of such a landmass with continental plates. They are conceptually central to plate tectonics and the historical continental drift theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Continental plates are found in North America, among other locations worldwide. Within the context of the provided information, they are not specifically located in the Atlantic Ocean, polar ice cap, or the southern Pacific. Continental plates are the large pieces of Earth's crust that make up the planet's continents and oceanic surroundings.
Each plate is distinct and floats on the viscous asthenosphere beneath the Earth's crust. These movements have been occurring since the theory of continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, suggesting that continents like North and South America, and Europe and Africa, were once joined together. The seven focal continents consist of Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica (with an ice sheet), Europe (including the Russian region), and Australia. Of these, North America is an example of a landmass composed of continental plates.