1. Heat from the Earth's core: The Earth's core is extremely hot, and this heat is transferred to the mantle, the layer of rock beneath the crust.
2. Convection currents: This heat causes the mantle to become less dense and rise. Cooler, denser material sinks, creating a circular flow of material within the mantle. These are known as convection currents.
3. Plate movement: These currents drag the tectonic plates along with them, causing them to move apart at divergent plate boundaries.
4. Magma upwelling: At these divergent boundaries, the rising magma from the mantle creates new oceanic crust. This process is called seafloor spreading.
In summary, the heat from the Earth's core drives convection currents within the mantle, which in turn push the tectonic plates apart.
