INTRODUCTIONAs you read in the description above, scientists don’t know exactly what drives plate motion. One leading theory is that convection currents within the asthenosphere and mantle drive plate movement. Convection occurs when there is a temperature difference within a substance, like magma, causing it to move in a circular pattern. Examine the pictures below to view a diagram of convection currents.

PROBLEMHow are convection currents formed and how do they move tectonic plates?

“Although scientists can neither precisely describe nor fully understand the forces, most believe that the relatively shallow forces

driving the lithospheric plates are coupled with forces originating much deeper in the Earth.”

MATERIALS NEEDEDHot waterCold water2 plastic cups1 plastic syringe1 plastic cup with circular depression1 small vial with 2-holed cap1 bottle of red food coloring2 Q tips

PROCEDURE1. Fill two plastic cups, one with hot water and the other with cold water.2. Snap the small vial (cap side up) into the base of the plastic cup.3. Gently remove the cap and place 1 drop of food coloring into the bottom of the vial.

Carefully and firmly re-cap the vial with the 2-holed cap. 4. Use the syringe to fill the vial with about 5 mL of hot water. Gently tap the vial to

remove any air bubbles. 5. Cover both of the holes in the 2-holed cap with 2 Q tips and have one person in your

group slowly add cold water to the cup until it is almost full.6. Remove the Q tips and observe what happens from both the side and top. Take

pictures from both the top and side.7. Record your observations (pictures) as Trial 1 in the Data and Observations section.

Draw arrows on your pictures to sketch the movement of the colored water. 8. Carefully empty and rinse the vial, the cap, and the cup.9. Repeat Steps 2-8, but this time use cold water in Step 4 and hot water in Step 5.

Record your observations as Trial 2. 10.Once completed, clean up your area and return all materials to their proper locations.

DATA and OBSERVATIONSTrial 1 Top Trial 1 Side

RED CAME OUT SUROPE FROM BOTTLETHE RED KIND OF SPID ALL OVER THE CUP

HOLE CUP TURNED RED

WATER STARTED TO FILL DOWN THE SIDES

Trial 2 Top Trial 2 Side

ANALYSIS1. Explain the movement of water (ie. hot to cold or cold to hot). What evidence do you

have to support your answer?

With The hot water to cold water the water kind of went out like surope in a straight line and it went straight up.

2. Imagine that hotter magma is lying beneath an area of cooler magma deep in the mantle. What do you predict will happen? Why?

The hot lava will come and form at the top of the cold magma and heat up the cold magma and change it to cold magma.

FOOD COLORING STAYED PUT WATER JUST TURNED PURPLE

3. Copy the following URL into Safari and watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrXAGY1dmE

Write a paragraph explaining how convection currents move tectonic plates.

The currents move the tectonic plates, the push from each other and begins to cool off. The color one gets to father unground. When the plates are getting spread apart are contents moving. The rock on the sea floor contain carbo. Then it begins to decant so it get heated.