Which statement is correct about the movement of the plates that said on top of the mantle

Answer 1

The movement of tectonic plates that sit on the semi-fluid asthenosphere of the mantle is typically driven by several key processes:

1. Convection Currents: Heat from the Earth's core causes the mantle to convect. Hot mantle material rises, cools, and then sinks, creating convection currents that help drive the movement of the tectonic plates above.

2. Ridge Push and Slab Pull: At mid-ocean ridges, new material is created as tectonic plates pull apart, causing a pushing motion (ridge push). Conversely, at subduction zones, where one plate is forced beneath another, the sinking plate exerts a pulling force (slab pull) on the rest of the plate.

3. Plate Interactions: Plates interact at their boundaries, which can lead to various geological activity, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges.

In summary, the movement of the tectonic plates is primarily due to the convection currents in the mantle, along with forces generated by the interaction of the plates at their boundaries.