Question

The image below is a cross section through the Earth's interior. Tectonic plates of the lithosphere are shown in grey at the Earth's surface. The Earth's mantle is shown in red-orange. Black arrows in the lithosphere show the directions in which tectonic plates move. Red arrows in the mantle represent convection currents.


Image courtesy of USGS

According to the diagram, which of the following is true?
A.
Convection currents move in only one direction.
B.
Near Earth's surface, convection currents and tectonic plates tend to move in opposite directions.
C.
Near Earth's surface, convection currents and tectonic plates tend to move in the same directions.
D.
Tectonic plates move in only one direction.

Answer 1

C. Near Earth's surface, convection currents and tectonic plates tend to move in the same directions.

The diagram shows mantle convection cells with flow at the top of each cell moving in the same direction as the overlying tectonic plate, indicating the mantle drag drives plate motion.