The tectonic plates move due to ______________ _______________ that occur in the mantle. Convection currents are a movement of magma in the mantle that cause the tectonic plates above them to push _____________, pull __________, or ___________ past each other.
The tectonic plates move due to convection currents that occur in the mantle. Convection currents are a movement of magma in the mantle that cause the tectonic plates above them to push apart, pull together, or slide past each other.
The tectonic plates move due to convection currents that occur in the mantle. Convection currents are a movement of magma in the mantle that cause the tectonic plates above them to push apart, pull together, or slide past each other.
The tectonic plates move due to convection currents that occur in the mantle. Convection currents are a movement of magma in the mantle that cause the tectonic plates above them to push apart (divergent boundary), pull together (convergent boundary), or slide past each other (transform boundary).
To understand why tectonic plates move due to convection currents, we need to know a bit about the Earth's interior. The Earth is made up of several layers, one of which is the mantle. The mantle is a semi-solid layer that lies beneath the Earth's crust and above the core. Within the mantle, there is molten rock called magma.
Convection currents occur in the mantle because of the heat generated from the Earth's core. The core heats up the lower part of the mantle, causing the magma to become less dense and rise towards the surface. As it rises, it transfers heat to the surrounding mantle rock, which then cools and becomes denser. This denser, cooler material sinks back down towards the core. This cycle of rising and sinking creates convection currents in the mantle.
Now, these convection currents have a significant impact on the movement of tectonic plates. The tectonic plates, which make up the Earth's crust, float on top of the semi-fluid mantle. When convection currents cause magma to rise beneath a particular plate, it creates an upward force, pushing the plate apart from neighboring plates. This process is called seafloor spreading and occurs at divergent boundaries, where new crust is formed.
On the other hand, when two tectonic plates collide due to convection currents, it creates a convergent boundary. In this case, the denser plate can sink beneath the other plate, forming a subduction zone. This process is known as subduction and leads to the creation of trenches and volcanic activity.
Lastly, when two tectonic plates slide past each other due to convection currents, it creates a transform boundary. Here, the plates grind against each other horizontally, resulting in earthquakes.
So, in summary, the tectonic plates move due to convection currents in the mantle. These convection currents are driven by heat from the Earth's core and cause the plates to push apart, pull together, or slide past each other depending on the type of boundary.