he origin of continents and oceans is explained by the theory of plate tectonics, which states that the Earth's outer shell is divided into large plates that move over the mantle. This movement, driven by mantle convection, causes plates to diverge, converge, and slide past each other, leading to the formation of continents and ocean basins over millions of years. Continents began as a supercontinent, Pangaea, which broke apart and drifted to its current positions, while ocean basins formed where tectonic plates pulled apart, allowing magma to rise and create new oceanic crust.
