a theory that explains the structure of the Earths crust Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core A German polar researcher amply described the continental drift theory Pacific Plate North American Plate Eurasian Plate African Plate Antartic Plate Indo-Australian Plate South American plate Somali Plate Nazca Plate Philippine sea Plate Arabian Plate Carribean Plate Cocos Plate Caroline Plate Scotia Plate Burma Plate New Herbrides plate The driving force behind plate tectonics is convection in the mantle. ... Hot magma wells up at the ridges, forming new ocean crust and shoving the plates apart. At subduction zones, two tectonic plates meet and one slides beneath the other back into the mantle, the layer underneath the crust The main features of plate tectonics are: The Earth's surface is covered by a series of crustal plates. The ocean floors are continually moving, spreading from the center, sinking at the edges, and being regenerated. Convection currents beneath the plates move the crustal plates in different directions. Causes. An earthquake is the shaking and vibration of the Earth's crust due to movement of the Earth's plates (plate tectonics). Earthqua kes can happen along any type of plate boundary. Earthquakes occur when tension is released from inside the crust.