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Tectonic Plates Activity for Kids
Convection Model DIY
- Duration: 15-30 min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: $0 to $10
Use shampoo and water to show how fluids can circulate by convection!
Material List
- 1Cup of pearlized soap or shampoo
- 3Cups of water
- 1Bowl
- 1Pan
- 1Hot plate
- 1Spoon
- 1Food coloring
Instructions
- 1Mix 3 cups of water, 1 cup of shampoo, and 20 drops of food coloring into a bowl.
- 2Blow on the surface to confirm there are swirls caused by the mica.
- 3Pour the mixture into a pan and begin heating using the hot plate. Do not boil.
- 4Watch what happens.
- Warning:Adult supervision is needed when heating.
How It Works
As the liquid is heated on the bottom, it becomes less dense and rises to the top. As it cools, it becomes more dense and sinks back down to the bottom. The mica crystals in the shampoo make the movement easy to see. This model is similar to the convection that occurs in Earth’s mantle, which contributes to tectonic plate movements. The major difference is that the Earth’s mantle is a solid that moves very slowly over years, not seconds like this model.
Check out the Full Lesson on Tectonic Plates
In this lesson, we learn that:
- The Earth's surface is cracked into large pieces called tectonic plates.
- Tectonic plates slowly move, creating mountains, islands and even re-arranging continents.
- Scientists can track the history of the plate movements by analyzing fossils and rock layers.
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