Lithospheric plates move because unequal distribution of heat creates motion within the Earth via a mechanism known as convection.
Convection is a term to refer to the movement that occurs by the transport of heat through the movement of the fluid. An example of convective heat transport is when water is heated in a saucepan because it follows the following pattern.
- The water that comes into contact with the base of the saucepan rises when heated.
- The water from the surface runs down the sides as it cools, taking up the place left by the hot portion.
The same thing happens inside the Earth, the molten rock that is closer to the core moves towards the surface, while the molten rock that is closer to the surface moves down and thus forms a convective current.
Therefore, the correct answer is convection.
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