Convection Currents

Flowchart nodes

• The Earth's core contains radioactive uranium

• Lots of heat energy is released

• The parts of the mantle closest to the core are the hottest

• Hot parts of the mantle rise because they are less dense

• They then begin to cool and start to sink

• New mantle rises up to replace older, cooling parts

• The constant rising and sinking of different parts of the mantle creates a cycle

• This cycle is known as a convection current

• Friction between the moving mantle and the crust cause tectonic plates to shift