You may be looking for the term continental drift, but a more accurate answer to your question is that tectonic plates can move because they float on the underlying magma, so the process that allows them to move is simply floating.
When two oceanic plates collide, one may be pushed under the other and cause magma from the mantle to rise, forming a volcanoe or volcanoes. When two continential plates collide at a reverse fault tectonic earthquakes occur.
Although it may be true that some misinformed people believe that land is floating on the water, it is FALSE that it does so. Land (earth's crust that is exposed to the air) could be said to be floating on MAGMA, along with the rest of the earth's crust. The oceans are above the crust, not under it.
At divergent boundaries, tectonic plates move apart, leading to the formation of new oceanic crust as magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap. This process creates mid-ocean ridges and can result in volcanic activity. Additionally, as the plates separate, earthquakes may occur due to the stresses involved in the movement.
A continental plate demonstrates Newton's law of inertia by maintaining its state of motion unless acted upon by an external force. For instance, tectonic plates, including continental ones, move at a constant velocity across the Earth's mantle due to the forces exerted by mantle convection and gravity. When these plates encounter resistance or other forces, such as subduction or collision with another plate, they may change their motion or direction. This illustrates inertia, as the plates resist changes to their motion until influenced by significant external forces.
mantle
You may be referring to either tectonic plates, which are huge shelves of the earth's crust that are floating of the molten mantle, or glaciers, which are mainly made of ice in addition to dirt and rock. Both of these things move very slowly.
You may be looking for the term continental drift, but a more accurate answer to your question is that tectonic plates can move because they float on the underlying magma, so the process that allows them to move is simply floating.
Tectonic plates shift with other plate causeing either mountions or volcanoes
When two oceanic plates collide, one may be pushed under the other and cause magma from the mantle to rise, forming a volcanoe or volcanoes. When two continential plates collide at a reverse fault tectonic earthquakes occur.
First the heat below the mantle makes even the solid part of the mantle flow very slowly as though it were very thick liquid. the hot rising part of the mantle cools as it nears the crust. as the cooling mantle moves sideways it drags along the plate floating on top of it. the arrows show the cooled mantle sinking back down. later on the mantle will may be get warm and rise again.
Due to the heat of magma (molten rock) under the earth's surface. The heat causes convection currents, pulling and pushing the tectonic plates.
The zone within Earth that begins at a depth of about 100 km and may extend to approximately 700 km is known as the mantle. This layer lies beneath the Earth's crust and above the outer core, composed primarily of silicate minerals that are rich in iron and magnesium. The mantle is divided into the upper mantle and lower mantle, with the upper mantle being partially molten and involved in tectonic processes, while the lower mantle is more rigid and extends to the outer core.
When continental plates collide, the denser oceanic crust is usually subducted beneath the less dense continental crust. This process can create subduction zones, where the oceanic crust is forced downward into the mantle. The oceanic crust may melt or be recycled back into the mantle in these subduction zones.
Although it may be true that some misinformed people believe that land is floating on the water, it is FALSE that it does so. Land (earth's crust that is exposed to the air) could be said to be floating on MAGMA, along with the rest of the earth's crust. The oceans are above the crust, not under it.
The main cause of plate movement is believed to be convection currents in the Earth's mantle. These currents are driven by the heat generated from the decay of radioactive elements and cause hot magma to rise and cooler rock to sink, creating movement in the overlying tectonic plates.
Tectonic plates may have moved by convection currents. The mantle is made of a much thicker, denser material, which causes plates to float on them like oil floats on water. Convection currents are caused by the very hot material at the deepest part of the mantle rising, then cooling, sinking again and then heating, rising and repeating the cycle over and over. A conveyor belt in a factory moves boxes like the convection currents in the mantle moves the plates of the Earth. I just did a report on this, and i love science so i know a bunch of facts such as these. I personally like to think of lava lamps in this particular topic. Hope this helped! :) ~NEK