What causes techtonic plates to move

Heat from the Earth's core causes molten rock (magma) in the mantle to heat up, become less dense, and rise. As this hotter material reaches the base of the lithosphere, it cools, becomes denser, and sinks back down. This continuous cycle of rising and sinking material creates slow-moving currents that drag the overlying tectonic plates along with them.

Other contributing forces include:

• Ridge push: The elevated mid-ocean ridges push plates away from the ridge.
• Slab pull: The weight of a dense, subducting oceanic plate pulling the rest of the plate along with it into the mantle.