Final answer:
Heat from Earth's interior creates convection currents in the mantle, which then drive the movement of tectonic plates. This movement is responsible for various geological activities and features on the planet's surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
The heat transferring energy from inside Earth drives the movement of tectonic plates through a process called convection. The Earth's crust and upper mantle, comprised of tectonic plates, are in constant motion due to this process.
As the interior of the Earth is hot due to the initial collapse of mass when Earth formed and the ongoing radioactive decay of elements like uranium and thorium, this heat needs to escape.
Heat escaping from the Earth's interior causes convection currents to form in the mantle. Hotter and less dense material rises towards the surface, cools, then sinks back down to be reheated and rise again. This mantle convection provides the power to move the tectonic plates, whether they are colliding, moving apart, or sliding past each other. This dynamic activity is responsible for geological features such as mountains, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.