What term is used to describe a theory that explains the arrangement and movement of Earth's plates?

The term that refers to the theory explaining the arrangement and movement of Earth's plates is plate tectonics. This scientific theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the dynamic processes of the Earth’s lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them.

Plate tectonics describes how these plates move relative to each other, leading to various geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges. The movement is driven by forces such as mantle convection, slab pull, and ridge push.

While continental drift pertains specifically to the hypothesis that continents have moved over geological time, it is part of the broader concept of plate tectonics. It was an early component that helped establish the idea of moving continents but did not encompass the full complexity of how tectonic plates interact. Geological theory is a vague term that does not specifically refer to plate movements. Seismic activity refers to the energy released during earthquakes and other ground movements rather than a theory explaining the mechanisms behind those movements.