gen-explain-plate-tectonics-as-you-would-to-a-capable-student-in-69ef

Explain plate tectonics as you would to a capable student, in 3-4 sentences.

Earth's outer layer is broken into massive slabs called tectonic plates that float on the semi-molten rock beneath them. These plates are constantly moving—very slowly, just a few centimeters per year—driven by heat currents rising from Earth's interior. Where plates collide, they create mountains and earthquakes; where they pull apart, they form ocean basins and volcanic ridges; and where they slide past each other, they generate earthquakes along fault lines like California's San Andreas Fault. This movement has shaped our planet's surface over millions of years, creating continents, oceans, and most of Earth's dramatic geological features.