October 5th 2014

What is mantle convection?

Density• Before talking about what causes mantle

convection we need to understand density…• What is density?• Defined in a quantitative

manner…

• Density defined in a qualitative manner as the measure of the relative "heaviness" of objects with a constant volume.

Which is more dense?

What is mantle convection?

• Mantle convection is the slow movement of Earth’s mantle caused by convection currents carrying heat from the interior of the Earth to the surface.

What does this look like?

• Video 1: Time 4:16

• http://hmxearthscience.com/Warehouse/geology/plate_tectonics/animations/convection2.swf

Density in a Lava LampWhat do you think happens to density when temperature goes up?

What do you think happens to density when temperature goes down?

How does the lava lamp represent what is happening inside of the Earth’s mantle?