Tectonic plate movements

Tectonic plates are large, rigid sections of Earth's crust that slowly move atop the semi-fluid mantle below. Their movement results from convection currents in the mantle caused by heat from Earth's interior. These plates can drift apart, collide, or slide past each other, leading to geological activity such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain formation. This process, known as plate tectonics, shapes Earth's surface over millions of years, continuously reshaping continents and ocean basins through these dynamic interactions.