which layers of the earth move? Why do ther move?
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml
The layers of the Earth that move are the lithosphere, asthenosphere, and the uppermost part of the mantle.
The lithosphere is composed of the crust and a portion of the upper mantle. It is divided into several tectonic plates that can move relative to one another. These plates float on the semi-fluid layer called the asthenosphere. The movement of these tectonic plates is driven by a process known as plate tectonics.
Plate tectonics is the theory that explains the large-scale motion of the Earth's lithosphere. It is driven by the convection currents that occur in the asthenosphere. As heat rises from the deeper part of the mantle, it creates these convective movements. The hot mantle material rises to the surface, creating upward forces that move the tectonic plates apart. As the plates move apart, new material from the asthenosphere rises to fill the gap, creating new crust.
Similarly, where two plates collide, one plate may move under the other, a process known as subduction. In some cases, plates slide past each other horizontally, creating transform boundaries.
The movement of the lithospheric plates is responsible for various geological phenomena like earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain formation, and the creation of different landforms on the Earth's surface.
In summary, the movement of the Earth's layers is a result of the convective currents in the asthenosphere, which cause the lithospheric plates to move due to plate tectonics.