Module 4: Earth’s

Mechanisms: Convection
Current
Christopher Tristan G. Sunga
Master Teacher I
Gregorio Perfecto High School
Content
The learners demonstrate
Standard an understanding of the
relationship among the
locations of volcanoes,
earthquake epicenters, and
mountain ranges.
 The
learners
demonstrate ways to ensure
shall be disaster preparedness during
able to: earthquakes, tsunamis, and
volcanic eruptions; and
Performance
Standard suggest ways by which he/she
can contribute to government
efforts in reducing damage due
to earthquakes, tsunamis, and
volcanic eruptions.
 The learners should be
able to...
Most Essential Describe the different
Learning
Competencies types of plate boundaries
LC CODE: S10ES – Ia-j-
36.2
 At the end of the lesson, the
students should be able to …

Objectives:

Describe convection currents

Recall:
Density
• is a substance's
mass per unit of
volume.
• Low density: float
• High density: sink
Continental Drift Theory

• Proposed by Alfred
Wegener
• The seven continents
had been once a part
of a supercontinent
called Pangaea.
• Pangaea broke apart
like pieces of a puzzle
and moved to their
present location.
Plate Tectonic
Theory
• developed in 1960s
• states that the
Earth’s lithosphere-
the crust and the
upper mantle- is
broken up into
several pieces called
plates that move
slowly.
 Plate Tectonic
Theory
It explains how the massive
plates move along the different
types of plate tectonic
boundaries (convergent,
divergent, and transform fault)
where they interact, and the
geologic events (earthquakes
and subduction) and geologic
features (formation of
mountains, volcanoes, and
trenches) that occur at their
boundaries.
ACTIVITY:
CONVECTION
CURRENT IN ICE
CUBES
Make the set-up as shown on the
right
Observe what happens to the blue
ice and red liquid.
Back up:
 Essential
Question: How
does convection
current affect the
plates?
Enhancing Literacy
A. A convection current is a heat transfer process
involving energy movement from one place to another.
The convection currents tend to move a fluid, gas
particles, or molten rock. These are due to the differences
in the densities and the temperature of a specific gas or
fluid. Due to this temperature difference, the hot fluid
tends to rise as it expands, whereas the cold fluid tends to
sink because it contracts. Convection is one of the kinds of
heat transfer; the other two are radiation and conduction.
Comprehension Questions
1. A convection current is caused by differences in temperature resulting in
variation in ___________.
A. air pressure B. color C. density D. mass

2. The motion of gas or liquid caused by differences in temperature is a _________.

A. tectonic movement C. convection current
B. B. plate tectonic D. magma chamber

3. Which of the following is NOT a method of heat transfer?

A. condensation B. convection C. conduction D. radiation
Enhancing Literacy
B. Convection current also happens in the mantle. The
mantle is the second inner layer of Earth, made up of
mostly hot rocks and magma. It is a very hot layer
because of the heat generated by the core. The source
of heat from the core is due to the decay or breakdown
of radioactive elements. Mantle convection is a process
by which thermal convection occurs in the inner layer of
the earth. The differences in the temperature at the
Earth’s interior and surface cause convection currents to
occur within the mantle.
Comprehension Questions
4. What is the source of heat in a mantle convection
current?
A. the Sun B. the crust C. the core D. the moon

5. What is the source of heat generated by the core to

the mantle?
A. gases C. molten rocks
B. decayed radioactive elements D. molten metals.
Convection Current • is a heat transfer process
that involves the
movement of energy from
one place to another.
• The convection currents
tend to move a fluid, gas
particles, or molten rock.
• These are due to the
differences in the densities
and the temperature of a
specific gas or a fluid.
Convection Current

• Due to this temperature difference, the hot fluid tends to rise as it

expands, whereas cold fluid tends to sink because it contracts.
• Convection is one of the kinds of heat transfer; the other two are
radiation and conduction.
Convection Currents

• Plates move by bumping, in the opposite direction,

and sliding past each other resulting in making areas
of volcanic activities, earthquake, and mountain
formation.
• According to scientists, the motion is driven by a
convection current mechanism within the earth.
Evaluating Learning

1. In which states (phases) of matter can

convection happen?
a.Solids, liquids, and gases
b.Liquids and gases
c.Solids and gases
d.Liquids only
Evaluating Learning

2. A cup of hot soup is _____ a cup of cold

soup.
a.denser than
b.less dense than
c.just as dense as
d.None of these answers are correct.
Evaluating Learning

3. Which of these is NOT a correct explanation

for how convection works?
A. Hotter fluids rise above colder fluids.
B. Less dense fluids rise above denser fluids.
C. Colder fluids sink below hotter fluids.
D. Less dense fluids sink below denser fluids.
 Evaluating Learning
4. Please refer to the diagram
below
Water in a beaker is heated at
X. Which diagram best shows
the convection currents?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
Evaluating Learning
For Number 5, please
refer to the figure on the
right.
What will happen to the
red color in the figure?
A. Rise
B. Sink
C. Will become colorless
D. Nothing will happen
gdtdggdvccaZXSRG
Thank you!