Download Convection Currents - Effingham County Schools

Convection
Currents
• Going from the surface to the center of the
earth, list the layers in order.
lithosphere (crust)
asthenosphere (mantle)
outer core
inner core
• The earth is layered with a lithosphere that
contains the crust and uppermost mantle.
• The crust is the upper part of the rigid
lithosphere and has a different composition
under land than it does on the ocean floor.
• The lithosphere is divided into separate plates
which move very slowly in response to the
convection currents in the mantle.
• The mantle is solid but capable of flow (like
hot asphalt or fudge).
• Below the rigid
lithosphere, the
mantle consists of
hot rock of tar-like
consistency, which
slowly moves or
flows. This is also
called the
asthenosphere.
• Convection is the energy transfer by the
movement of material.
• Convection currents
are caused by as
heated molten rock
in the mantle
become less dense
and rise. At the
same time other
molten rock cools
and become more
dense so they sink.
• Convection currents are the continuous loop
of sinking and rising hot, soft rocks caused by
energy transfer in the asthenosphere (mantle)
of Earth
• Heat from the mantle and core creates
convection currents.
• Convections currents in the mantle cause the
tectonic plates to move.
Where do convection currents take place?
The mantle
•
•
•
•
Less dense things
rise
while more dense things
sink.