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Explained in plain English

Why do plates move?

Tectonic plates move because of heat from deep inside the Earth. This heat creates convection currents in the molten rock beneath the plates, slowly dragging them along. It's like a giant, slow-motion conveyor belt, causing the plates to collide, separate, or slide past each other, which is ultimately what causes earthquakes like the one in Colombia.

Questions this opens up

What are convection currents? How fast do plates move? What is plate tectonics?

Related explainers

How do building codes work? How do buildings cope? What causes earthquakes? What are early warning systems? How are earthquakes measured? What is the 'Ring of Fire'? How does soil type affect damage? Why are some quakes deadlier?

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