Which of the following factors contributes to Earth's tectonic plate movement?

The movement of Earth's tectonic plates is primarily driven by slab pull and mantle convection. Slab pull occurs when a dense oceanic plate sinks into the mantle at subduction zones, pulling the rest of the plate along with it. This gravitational force contributes significantly to the movement of tectonic plates.

Mantle convection, on the other hand, is the process by which heat from the Earth's interior causes the mantle material to rise and fall in a continuous cycle. As hot mantle material rises, it creates divergent boundaries where tectonic plates move apart. Conversely, cooler material sinks, leading to the subduction of plates. The combination of these two processes—slab pull and mantle convection—works together to drive the movement of tectonic plates across the Earth's surface.

The other factors listed do not play a direct role in tectonic plate movement. Wind resistance, for example, impacts surface phenomena but does not affect the deep geological processes that govern plate tectonics. Solar radiation, while it influences atmospheric conditions, does not contribute to the movement of the plates in the lithosphere. Similarly, gravity multipliers are not recognized as a mechanism in the field of geology that would influence tectonic plate motion. Thus, slab pull and mantle convection are recognized as the primary