• Question: what causes the earths plates to move

    Asked by aarom to Charlie, Eoin, Jemma, Julian, Steve on 21 Mar 2011.
    • Photo: Julian Rayner

      Julian Rayner answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi aarom. I am not a geologist, but my understanding is that plates move because they are basically floating on the liquid rock in the earths core, and so can drift around slowly over time.

    • Photo: Stephen Moss

      Stephen Moss answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi Aarom

      I believe it’s because the plates are sitting on a liquid molten core, so they’re a bit like large flattish wooden rafts floating on an almost calm sea of treacle. They move because they aren’t on a secure surface.

    • Photo: Eoin Lettice

      Eoin Lettice answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi aarom, Thanks for the question.
      I’m not an expert in this area, but presumably the movement of the molten rock beneath the plates causes movement in these “floating plates”. This movement leads to the plates coming into close contact and moving opposite and alongside one another. This leads to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions as well as the development of mountain ranges.

      Eoin

    • Photo: Charlie Ryan

      Charlie Ryan answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      hi i think it is due to the convection – the swirling due to heat, just like smoke does – of the mantle, that slowly pushes the continents about. I think!
      Is there a geologist on im a scientist?? You’d better ask them!

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