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Materials Within The Mantle

Convection currents in the Earth's mantle are caused by heat transfer from the core and cause the movement of tectonic plates above, with magma rising towards the surface as it is heated then sinking back down as it cools and becomes denser.

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Peta-Kay Tucker
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24 views1 page

Materials Within The Mantle

Convection currents in the Earth's mantle are caused by heat transfer from the core and cause the movement of tectonic plates above, with magma rising towards the surface as it is heated then sinking back down as it cools and becomes denser.

Uploaded by

Peta-Kay Tucker
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Plates move because of convection currents.

These are movements caused by the transfer of heat by


materials within the mantle.

The Earth's mantle has convection currents because the intense heat of the core. 

The core's heat energy is transferred to the mantle, causing magma to rise towards the Earth's surface,
which is cooler. It becomes denser than the surrounding magma and sinks back down towards the core
where it is reheated.  

This creates convection currents which drive the movement of the plates above.

The plates move very slowly at an average speed of about 2-5cm (1-2 inches) per year, about the same
speed that your fingernails grow.

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