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Convection currents in the mantle drive plate movements.

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What explains the movement of the earth's crust?

The earth's crust moves because the earth has tectonic plates that move because the magma under the earth's surface is constantly boiling. Since the water moves, it causes the earth's crust to move.


Why is this movement often described as horizontal sliding or science?

because Two plates are moving side by side


Tectonic plates forming a transform boundary may move only a few centimeters each year can even this small movement affect people and communities living near a transform boundary?

When tectonic plates slide past each other, the movement may cause earthquakes, which might injure people or damage property in a community.


How does newton's 2 law relate to tectonic plates?

Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. In the context of tectonic plates, the movement of the plates is influenced by the forces acting upon them, such as mantle convection and gravitational forces. The interaction of these forces can cause the plates to move, leading to phenomena like earthquakes and volcanic activity. Overall, Newton's second law helps us understand the mechanics behind the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface.


If a tectonic plate has moved 125cm in a 25-year period what is its average rate of movement in cmyear?

This question depends on which plates you're talking about. Tectonic plates move in different directions and have different rates of movement. For example, the Nazca plate is moving eastward at 13.4 cm per year, but the most southern edge of the African plate is only moving northeast at 1.4 cm per year.

Related Questions

Which layer of the earth is facilitating the movement of the plates?

The Asthenosphere.


What is the source of energy that drives the movement of the lithospheric platesWhat is the source of energy that drives the movement of the lithospheric plates?

The source of energy that drives the movement of the lithospheric plates is believed to be the heat generated by radioactive decay in the Earth's interior, primarily in the mantle. This heat creates convection currents that cause the plates to move over the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them.


What do plates float on?

Plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere layer, which is part of the upper mantle. This layer is under the lithosphere and allows the movement of the tectonic plates.


Tectonics plates float on what semiliquid layer?

Tectonic plates float on the asthenosphere, which is a semi-liquid layer of the Earth's upper mantle. The movement of these plates is driven by convection currents in the asthenosphere.


What caused the shifting earth?

Convection in the earth's mantle drives the movement of the tectonic plates.


What is the tearm for the slow movement of earth outer layer?

The Tectonic plates shifting


What is the layer below the continents and the ocean floor?

The layer below the continents and the ocean floor is the Earth's mantle. It is a solid layer of rock that extends about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) beneath the Earth's surface. The mantle is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates and drives processes like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.


Which of earths mechanical layer contains the seven mayor plates?

The Earth's mechanical layer that contains the seven major plates is the lithosphere. This layer is divided into various tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them. The movement of these plates is responsible for phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic activity.


What is the layer of the earth convection the currents in this layer make the plates move?

The layer of the Earth where convection currents occur is the mantle. These currents are generated by the heat from the Earth's core, causing movement in the semi-fluid mantle material. The movement of these convection currents is one of the driving forces behind the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface.


What layer of the earth drives the tectonic plates into motion?

All layers of the Earth are moving, in some fashion.


What layer of Earth makes up the plates and what layer causes them to move?

The plates are made up of the Earth's lithosphere, which is the outermost layer of the Earth. The movement of these plates is caused by the flow of the semi-fluid asthenosphere layer beneath the lithosphere.


What drives the process of plates tectonics the currently accepted explanation for the movement of drifting continents?

Unequal heat distribution.