Earth Systems

Standard III, Objective 2

Title: Plate Tectonics Convection Lab

Description: Students will model and observe the process of convection as it moves Earths crust.

Time Needed: 50 minutes

Materials: per group: 1 clear plastic or glass pie pan, 5 Styrofoam cups, pipettes, food coloring
Water, paper towels, heat source, sawdust

Procedures:

1. Collect the materials including finding a source of hot water. Very hot tap water will work but is
often unavailable.
2. Ask students if they have ever swam in a lake. Ask where the coldest water is and see if
students know why. Ask students if their feet are ever cold indoors in the winter and why that might
be.
3. Read the introduction and directions with the students and show them where materials are
located.
4. Allow time for students to work in groups to complete the tasks.
5. Ask a representative from different groups to come to the board and draw their results on the
different tests. Discuss what happened on each and why.
6. Allow time for students to finish the analysis questions.

Scoring Guide:

1. Students set up and test their apparatus……………………………….4

2. Students record data accurately…………………………………………4
3. Students participate in post lab discussion…………………………….4
4. Analysis questions are correctly answered …………………………….4
5. Conclusion thoughtfully written…………………………………………..4
Student Sheet

Plate Tectonics Convection Lab Name______________________________

Introduction: In this activity you will investigate how convection currents are created and how
they move through a liquid or in the case of plate movement, the mantle of Earth. The mantle is a
solid that is able to move slowly, often described as flexible like plastic. To understand how
energy moves in the Earth system, it is important to understand convection. Convection currents
affect many of Earth’s systems including weather and climate, the movement of the ocean, and
plate tectonics. The Theory of Plate Tectonics was not complete until scientists understood
convection in the mantle. You will model how scientists explain how something as large as a
continent can move.

Materials:
1 clear plastic or glass pie pan, 5 Styrofoam cups, pipettes, food coloring, water, paper towels,
teaspoon of sawdust

Procedure:

Trial A:
1. Place the pie pan on top of three Styrofoam cups as shown in Figure A below.

2. Fill the pie pan with room temperature water.

3. Sprinkle sawdust on the surface.
4. Place a cup of room temperature water under
5. the center
6. so that the surface of the water touches the pie pan.
7. Carefully place a drop of dye on the bottom in the
8. center of the pan.
9. Observe for 3 minutes and draw and record you observations
10. in the data section.

Trial B:

11. Empty the water in the place your teacher describes. Refill it with room temperature water
and placed the cups under it again.
12. Sprinkle sawdust on the top. Place a cup under the center of the pie pan with very hot
water. The top of the hot water should touch the bottom of the pie pan.
13. Add a drop of food coloring to the bottom of the pan in the center. Record your
observations.

Trial C:

14. Use the pan from Trial B and carefully place a drop of a different color of dye on the edge of
the pie pan.
15. Observe for at least 3 minutes and draw and record your observations in the data section.

Trial D:

11. Design a test of your own: describe the steps:

Data: Observations:

Trial A (no heat, drop in center) Trial B (heat in center, drop in middle)

Observations: Trial C (heat, drop on edge) Trial D Your design:

Analysis:

1. Using the observations you made, describe how a convection current works. (Use a textbook if
you need some help.)

2. Why does colder water sink?

3. What does warmer water rise?

4. Where in nature does convection occur?

5. If convection didn’t occur, what would happen to the atmosphere?

Conclusion: