Question

The plates move around the surface of the Earth due to convection currents that originate deep in the ____________________.

Answer 1

The plates move around the surface of the Earth due to convection currents that originate deep in the Earth's core.

Convection currents move tetonic plates because of the intense heat the Earth's core (mantle layer) and it moves when warm material rises, cools, then sinks down until it is warmed and rises again. This pattern is called a convection cell.