Final answer:
Plate tectonics, driven by heat from Earth's core, causes the movement of tectonic plates at an average speed of 4 to 5 centimeters per year. This movement forms various geological features and can lead to subduction, where one plate slides under another.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cycle that causes plates to move is known as plate tectonics. It operates on the principle that the Earth's lithosphere, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, is divided into several large and small tectonic plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below, moving because of the mantle's convective currents. These mantle currents are caused by the heat coming from the Earth's core, which creates a convection cycle as hot material rises, cools, and then sinks back down. This cycle leads to the movement of the plates at average speeds of 4 to 5 centimeters per year.
The interaction between plates can result in divergent, convergent, or transform boundaries, leading to the formation of various geological features like mountains, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. Subduction, where one plate slides beneath another, can also occur, further contributing to the geological dynamism of the Earth's surface. We observe this gradual yet incessant activity translating into significant changes over geological timescales.