Which of the following is the main cause of the tectonic plates movement?

Tectonic plates are large pieces of the Earth’s crust and its topmost mantle. When viewed together, they form the lithosphere. These plates are 62 miles thick and are made up of two types of material. These materials are the continental crust and the oceanic crust. Their compositions differ greatly.

The oceanic crust consists of mafic basaltic rocks, while the continental crust is made up of lower-density felsic granitic rocks. According to the most recent research, the biggest driving force behind the movements is slab pull.

Researchers have proposed three main reasons why the tectonic plates are moving. All of these reasons boil down to various forces that are creating the movement. The first of the possible reasons is the mantle convection currents. These currents are warm, and they can carry and drive the tectonic plates that make up the lithosphere in a way that resembles a conveyor belt. The second reason often cited by researchers is the ridge push. The ridge push occurs at the resilient upwelling mantle at ridges placed on the mid-ocean level.

The third force that causes the tectonic plates to move is the slab pull. This force occurs when the older plates start to sink. As the plates age, they become colder, which makes them denser than the mantle beneath them. They start to sink and pull the warmer parts of the plate with them.