Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large-scale movement and interactions of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into several rigid plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them and move due to the convective currents generated by the heat from the Earth's interior. Plate tectonics explains the formation, movement, and destruction of these plates, and it accounts for various geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain building, and the creation of oceanic trenches.