Plate tectonics
scientific theory that describes the large-scale motions of Earth's lithosphere / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Plate tectonics is a theory of geology. It explains movement of the Earth's lithosphere. The lithosphere is the Earth's crust and the upper part of the mantle. The lithosphere is divided into plates, some of which are very large and can be entire continents.
Heat from the mantle is the source of energy driving plate tectonics. Exactly how this works is still a matter of debate. This theory includes the idea of continental drift.[1]