Which natural phenomenon occurs as a result of Earth rotating on its axis?

The phenomenon of day and night is directly caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis. As the Earth spins, different parts of its surface move into and out of sunlight, creating the cycle of day and night. When a region on Earth faces the Sun, it experiences daytime, while the side that is turned away from the Sun experiences nighttime. This continuous rotation is what establishes a roughly 24-hour cycle, which influences not only daily human activities but also various natural processes.

The other options, while important phenomena in Earth science, do not occur as a direct result of Earth's rotation. For instance, the movement of tectonic plates is driven by forces generated from the Earth's interior, primarily convection currents in the mantle. Deep ocean currents are primarily affected by differences in water temperature and salinity, along with wind patterns, rather than the Earth's rotation alone. Seasonal changes, on the other hand, are predominantly the result of Earth's axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun, rather than the daily rotation. Therefore, the relationship between Earth's rotation and the occurrence of day and night is a fundamental aspect of our planet's dynamics.