Final answer:
Plate tectonics, powered by the slow convection of the mantle, involves the movement of tectonic plates in Earth's crust and upper mantle. This movement, which includes separations, sliding alongside, and colliding, leads to significant geological changes, such as the formation of mountains and drifting continents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process occurring in Earth's mantle that causes the movement of terrestrial plates is known as plate tectonics. This process is powered by the slow convection of the mantle, which is a heat transfer process where heat escapes from Earth's interior to space. This is achieved through the upward flow of warmer, less dense material and the sinking of cooler, denser material.
Earth's crust and upper mantle, which reach a depth of about 60 kilometers, are divided into multiple tectonic plates that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The movement of these plates leads to significant changes in the Earth's crust over time. The plates can pull apart, slide alongside each other, one plate can burrow under another, or they can jam together. The resulting activity is essential in determining the geology of Earth, contributing to phenomena like the formation of mountains, drifting of continents, and the creation of earthquakes. An example of this activity includes the formation of the Alps through the collision of the African and Eurasian plates.
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