Final answer:
The movement of Earth's lithospheric plates is caused by convection currents in the mantle, which is essential for the geological activities on Earth such as earthquakes, mountain building, and the creation of new crust.
Step-by-step explanation:
The plates that make up Earth’s lithosphere move primarily because of convection in the mantle. This process involves the upward flow of warmer material and the slow sinking of cooler material, driving the motion of the tectonic plates.
Lithospheric plates come in many shapes and sizes, moving at rates of millimeters to a few centimeters per year. The movement of these plates can be divergent, convergent, or transform, determined by the type of crust and the interactions at their boundaries. This movement leads to various geological activities, including earthquakes, mountain building, and the creation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges.
Overall, plate tectonics is a fundamental concept in geology, similar to how evolution by natural selection is fundamental to biology. It not only explains the drifting of continents and the formation of mountains but also how Earth transports heat from its interior out to space, serving as a cooling system for the planet.