What process involves the shifting of tectonic plates?

The correct answer is related to the concept of plate tectonics, which refers to the movement and interaction of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into several plates. These tectonic plates move due to the convective currents in the mantle beneath them. This movement is responsible for various geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges.

Plate tectonics encompasses several processes, such as the creation of new crust at divergent boundaries, destruction of old crust at convergent boundaries, and lateral sliding at transform boundaries. Each of these activities directly relates to the shifting and interaction of the tectonic plates. Understanding this concept is crucial, as it explains not only the movement of the plates but also how they influence the Earth's features and structures over geological time.

The other concepts, while important in geology, refer to different processes. Uplift pertains to the vertical rise of the Earth's crust, subsidence refers to the sinking or settling of the ground, and weathering is the process of breaking down and altering rocks due to environmental factors.