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Q: What specifically describes the balance between the lithrosphere floating atop the asthenosphere?
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What do tectonic plates float on?

They are floating on the outer core


What are the tectonic plates floating?

The continental plates float on asthenosphere, molten rock (lava).


Soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats?

As the question uses the word mantle which is a compositional layer of the earth, then the answer is crust.


What are tectonic plates pushed by?

In the mantle, there is a fluid-like layer called the asthenosphere which has convection currents, due to the heat of the inner core. Earth's plates are hypothetically "floating" on the asthenosphere. The currents in this layer push whatever is on top of it, thus the continents move.


Is it true or false that the asthenosphere floats on the lithosphere?

Because of something called Isostacy-the gravitational equilibrium between lithosphere and asthenosphere, such that plates "float" at an elevation that dependes on the thickness and density. EX. Think floating ice cubes


Does tectonic plates move on lithosphere?

Geologist belive that the platesmove about on the asthenosphere because of convection currents deep within the Earth.


What is the stress caused by in the Earth's crust?

The grinding of tectonic plates. This caused by the outer core sending heat to the asthenosphere. The heat creates convection cells (aka convection currents), which move the asthenosphere. The tectonic, or lithospheric, plates are floating on the asthenosphere. When the asthenosphere moves, the tectonic plates move, and they gring together. The grinding will eventually cause a tectonic plate to fracture, which releases energy through the earth as seismic waves, and an earthquake occurs.


How do continental plates move?

All of Earth's plates move because of convection in the asthenosphere, and slab push and pull in the lithosphere. Slab pull causes the lithosphere to slide beneath another plate into the asthenosphere, while slab push helps the slab move away from the ridge toward the slab pull.


What is the general term of the up and down forces between the crust and the mantle?

Isostasy is the balance and buoyancy of the Earth's crust floating on the asthenosphere, the top layer of the mantle. The asthenosphere, like Silly Putty, adjusts to the different densities and thicknesses of the crust. For instance, glaciers add weight (density, really) to the surface of the Earth. The added density depresses the flexible crust down into the asthenosphere, which, in turn, responds by slowly flowing away from the added burden. As the glaciers melt, the crust under them rebounds (rises), and the asthenosphere flows back, returning to its normal level.


Where did the term float a horses teeth come from?

Floating is the medical term used to describe the rasping or filing of a horses' teeth. The term originated from the masonry term which describes the leveling of a row of bricks (floating).


List three ways in which tectonic plates floating on the asthenosphere are similar to ice cubes filling a punch bowl?

1. The ice represents the lithosphere. It "floats" on the punch as it is of lower density and therefore buoyant. 2. The ice is a brittle solid - this mechanical behaviour is similar to that displayed by lithospheric plates. 3. The punch behaves as a liquid and so can convect aiding the movement of the ice. To a certain extent so to does the asthenosphere (in actual fact, the asthenosphere is a highly ductile solid however it convects on a geological time-scale) .


What is the noun form of float?

The word float can be a noun, for something that floats. The noun for the activity of floating is flotation. (it is sometimes used specifically as an noun adjunct, e.g. flotation device) The word for floating objects may be flotage, or more commonly flotsam.