The plates can be thought of like pieces of a cracked shell that rest on the hot, molten rock of Earth's mantle and fit snugly against one another. The heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causes the plates to move, sometimes toward and sometimes away from each other.

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.

Why do tectonic plates move suddenly?

Washington: Scientists have found that the tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface sometimes move abruptly due to the effects of thick crust from continents and weakened mineral grains acting together.