Tectonic shift is the movement of the plates that make up Earth's crust. ... The heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causes the plates to move, sometimes toward and sometimes away from each other. This movement is called plate motion, or tectonic shift.

What are the 3 causes of plate movement?

Mantle dynamics, gravity, and Earth's rotation taken altogether causes the plate movements. However, convectional currents are the general thought for the motion.

What really happens when plates move?

When the plates move they collide or spread apart allowing the very hot molten material called lava to escape from the mantle. When collisions occur they produce mountains, deep underwater valleys called trenches, and volcanoes. ... The Earth is producing "new" crust where two plates are diverging or spreading apart.