The crust is broken up in 7 huge slabs and several other smaller ones. These are the tectonic plates. The plates make up the crust and they float on the soft, plastic magma below (in the mantle). As the plates move, they create volcanoes, mountains, cause tsunamis, etc... .
- How Does The Mantle And The Crust Interact To Move The Plate Tectonics?
The part of the mantle and the crust that interact to move and change the tectonic plates is the lithosphere. The lithosphere is the crust and the uttermost part of the upper mantle (“Lithosphere”,
5 March 2013).
The tectonic plates use the convection currents that are in the mantle to move. The convection currents are currents in the magma. The hot magma from nearer the core expands and moves upwards, dragging the plates with them, then cools back down and goes back downwards towards the core (“Volcanoes Online”, 2013). When the magma sinks, the plates are dragged towards each other. As this process gets repeated, the plates move. The convection currents are similar to boiling water (“Volcanoes Online”, 2013).
The tectonic plates use the convection currents that are in the mantle to move. The convection currents are currents in the magma. The hot magma from nearer the core expands and moves upwards, dragging the plates with them, then cools back down and goes back downwards towards the core (“Volcanoes Online”, 2013). When the magma sinks, the plates are dragged towards each other. As this process gets repeated, the plates move. The convection currents are similar to boiling water (“Volcanoes Online”, 2013).