It is the ability of the mantle (solid) to flow like liquid.
The lithosphere is the crust Moho and upper mantle. It floats on a plasticity zone called the asthenosphere.
Plasticity and convection occur in the asthenosphere, which is part of the upper mantle. The asthenosphere is a semi-molten layer below the lithosphere where rock can flow slowly over long periods of time. Convection within the asthenosphere is driven by heat from the Earth's core, causing movement of material in the mantle.
The basic answer is the Mantle, but, really, it's the only very uppermost part of the Mantle that encounters plasticity and convection--when relating to tectonic plate movement, at least. The Asthenosphere is the fluid layer on with plates move across the surface of the earth, being pulled apart (Diverging) or colliding together (Converging). The Asthenosphere is what drives convection and in a very similar way, subduction. Like the person above said, if your teacher/professor hasn't said the word Asthenosphere, then the answer he/she is looking for here is the Mantle, or Upper Mantle. I'd go with Upper Mantle to be safe.
The plasticity of the mantle allows convection currents to occur, which drive the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates. As the hot mantle material rises and the cooler material sinks, it creates a cyclic motion that drags the overlying brittle lithosphere along, causing the plates to move. This movement can lead to plate tectonics, including the formation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges and the subduction of old crust at convergent boundaries.
The layer under the crust is the mantle, which is approximately 2900 km thick. It is composed of solid rock that exhibits plasticity over long time scales, allowing for the movement of tectonic plates.
Plasticity means that there is enough movement in the asthenosphere to allow thelithospheric plates to move.
Plasticity means that there is enough movement in the asthenosphere to allow thelithospheric plates to move.
The lithosphere is the crust Moho and upper mantle. It floats on a plasticity zone called the asthenosphere.
The asthenosphere, a layer of the upper mantle beneath the lithosphere, exhibits plasticity due to high temperatures and pressures. This property allows the asthenosphere to flow slowly over geological timescales and is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates.
Plasticity and convection occur in the asthenosphere, which is part of the upper mantle. The asthenosphere is a semi-molten layer below the lithosphere where rock can flow slowly over long periods of time. Convection within the asthenosphere is driven by heat from the Earth's core, causing movement of material in the mantle.
The property of a solid that enables it to flow is plasticity. Plasticity refers to the ability of a solid material to change shape permanently without breaking when subjected to stress. This property allows solids to deform and flow under certain conditions, usually through the movement of dislocations within the material.
While still solid, the asthenosphere is able to flow. The ability of a solid to flow is called plasticity. See "What's the matter?" for an activity to demonstrate plasticity. Since the asthenosphere is more liquid than the rest of the mantle, the broken lithosphere plates are able to "float" on it.
The basic answer is the Mantle, but, really, it's the only very uppermost part of the Mantle that encounters plasticity and convection--when relating to tectonic plate movement, at least. The Asthenosphere is the fluid layer on with plates move across the surface of the earth, being pulled apart (Diverging) or colliding together (Converging). The Asthenosphere is what drives convection and in a very similar way, subduction. Like the person above said, if your teacher/professor hasn't said the word Asthenosphere, then the answer he/she is looking for here is the Mantle, or Upper Mantle. I'd go with Upper Mantle to be safe.
The mantle is composed of the upper mantle and the lower mantle. The upper mantle is known for its plasticity and convective movement, while the lower mantle is more rigid and is characterized by high-pressure conditions.
The plasticity of the Earth's mantle allows for the gradual flow of mantle material, which creates convection currents beneath the rigid lithospheric plates. These convection currents generate forces that can push, pull, or slide the plates apart or together, facilitating their movement. As the mantle material deforms and flows, it enables the tectonic plates to shift, leading to geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges. This dynamic interaction between the mantle and lithosphere is fundamental to plate tectonics.
Both the mixture of cornstarch and water and the Earth's mantle exhibit a semi-fluid behavior known as plasticity, allowing for flow over time. However, the mantle is composed of solid rock material whereas the cornstarch-water mixture is composed of two distinct phases. The plasticity of the mantle influences the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates by allowing them to slide and interact with each other along plate boundaries due to the mantle's ability to deform and flow.
The plasticity of the mantle allows convection currents to occur, which drive the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates. As the hot mantle material rises and the cooler material sinks, it creates a cyclic motion that drags the overlying brittle lithosphere along, causing the plates to move. This movement can lead to plate tectonics, including the formation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges and the subduction of old crust at convergent boundaries.