Tectonic Plates Activity for Kids

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.