The Relationship Between Layers
The relationship between layers describes how Earth's rigid tectonic plates float on the flowing mantle, and how the movement of the mantle below drives the movement of the plates above. In Amplify Science (California) Grade 7, Chapter 2: Understanding Plate Boundaries, students learn that without the flowing mantle, tectonic activity would cease and Earth would be geologically dead.
Key Concepts
The Earth's system relies on the interaction between layers. The rigid outer plates "float" on top of the flowing mantle.
It is the movement of the mantle below that dictates the movement of the plates above. Without the flowing nature of the soft solid mantle, the plates would be locked in place, and Earth would be a geologically dead planet without earthquakes or volcanoes.
Common Questions
How do tectonic plates move?
Tectonic plates move because they float on the flowing mantle. The mantle's convection currents drag the rigid plates above, causing them to move relative to each other.
What is the relationship between the crust and the mantle?
The rigid tectonic plates (crust) float on the softer, flowing mantle. The mantle flows due to heat from Earth's core, and this flow drags the plates above, driving tectonic plate movement.
Why would Earth be geologically dead without a flowing mantle?
Without the flowing mantle, there would be no force to move the tectonic plates. Without plate movement, there would be no earthquakes, no volcanic activity, and no mountain-building processes.
Where is the crust-mantle relationship taught in Amplify Science Grade 7?
The relationship between Earth's layers is covered in Amplify Science (California) Grade 7, Chapter 2: Understanding Plate Boundaries.