Convection plays a critical role in the movement of tectonic plates by driving the flow of material in the Earth’s mantle. As hot mantle material rises toward the surface, it cools and eventually sinks back down, creating a cycle known as mantle convection. This movement generates forces that can push plates apart at divergent boundaries or pull them together at convergent boundaries. Additionally, convection currents can lead to the buildup of stress along fault lines, contributing to seismic activity. Overall, convection is a fundamental mechanism that facilitates the dynamic nature of plate tectonics.
3-5 sentences about how convection affects plate tectonics.
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