What are tectonic forces?

Tectonic forces are like giant invisible hands pushing and pulling Earth’s surface.

Imagine you're playing with a big puzzle made of giant pieces, each piece is called a plate. These plates float on something soft, kind of like how a pancake floats on a hot griddle. Now, if someone starts gently pushing or pulling those puzzle pieces from the sides, they might shift or even bump into each other.

Sometimes, these giant plates move slowly, maybe just a few centimeters every year. But when they move, they can cause earthquakes, like when you shake a table and your blocks fall over. They can also make mountains, imagine pushing two walls together until they crumple up into a hill.

Think of your favorite chocolate bar. If you push the sides of it gently, it might bend or crack. That’s kind of what happens to Earth when tectonic forces are at work, only on a much bigger scale!