Why are the earths plates always moving?

Answer 1

Due to the heat of magma (molten rock) under the earth's surface.

The heat causes convection currents, pulling and pushing the tectonic plates.

Answer 2

It is still not completely clear how heat rising by convection in the mantle influences the drift of continents and the formation of new crustal plates. But generally the motion is a flow in the oceanic plates, which move outward from central rifts and are subducted again beneath the continental plates. The gradual push provided by this type of motion could steer plate movements.

Theories of the translation of mantle movement to the crust include

-- gravitational sliding from elevated regions of the mantle

-- tidal forces from the Sun and Moon

-- large-scale effects of the Earth's rotation

-- surge tectonics (large channels flowing through the upper mantle)

The actual mechanism may be any of these, of any combination of them, because none can be currently identified as the absolute or primary cause. The motion of the plates is generally so slow (0.1 to 5 cm per year) that the processes take many years to observe.

(see related question)

Answer 3

As the moon rotates around the Earth it's gravity pulls on us, making tectonic plates move along with making waves.

Answer 4

Plates move because the the crust is in a higher elevation, therefore the crust is on top of the oceanic crust so that is why plates move.

Answer 5

Because the core is heating up the mantle so a convection current occurs inside the mantle, moving the floating plates