What role does mantle convection play in plate tectonics?

Mantle convection plays a crucial role in driving plate tectonics through the movement of currents within the mantle. The Earth's mantle is semi-fluid, and the heat from the core creates convection currents. This process involves hotter, less dense material rising towards the surface, while cooler, denser material sinks. As these currents circulate, they create forces that influence the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface.

These mantle convection currents can pull plates apart at divergent boundaries, where new crust is formed, and can push plates together at convergent boundaries, where plates might collide and cause geological events such as earthquakes or mountain formation. Thus, the movement of tectonic plates is directly linked to the ongoing convection within the mantle, making this answer correct.