Question

Relate your observations of lava lamp B to mantle convection and plate tectonics. What does the heat source of the lava lamp represent in the earth?
What does the lava represent in the earth?
If the lava lamp had floating pieces of foam at the top, what would they do?
What would these foam pieces represent on the earth?

Need this done ASAP please.

Answer 1

The earths plates move by 'Ridge-Push' and 'Slab Pull'. At constructive plates margins, lava is extruded and new crust forms as the convection pushes the hot magma though and the slab pull is where the dense subducted plate pulls the rest of the plate along. That is the very basics of what happens. Lamp A - Off - The lava is cold, and therefore does not flow or convect. Lamp B - On - The lava at the bottom by the light is being heated, as it heats, it gets less dense and rises to the top. When at the top,it cools down, and gets more dense and then falls back to the bottom again. Convection. The heat source of the lava lamp is the light giving heat energy. The heat source in the earth is the core, and the radioactive processes (Mainly radioactive decay) that occurs within it. The lava in the lamp represents the earths mantle. The floating pieces are trying to be the earths crustal plates, and they would move over the lava (earths mantle) due to the convection.

Answer 2

Answer:

1. Lava Lamp A is not plugged in therefore there is no heat to make the wax rise to the top of the lamp.

2. Lava Lamp B is plugged in therefore the light at the bottom is turned on and heating up the wax so that when it reaches a certain temperature it rises to the top of the lamp and then when it cools down it falls from the top falling all the way back to the bottom to be reheated.

3. The light in the bottom of lamp B is heating up the wax in the lamp so it rises in temperature to the top of the lamp and then cools down and falls from the top, falling all the way back to the bottom to be reheated. This happens in Earth's upper mantle right below the Earths' crust, Heated Lava rises to the crust of the earth only to be cooled and fall back down closer to the middle of the earth only to have the lava be heated again and the process continues.