Convection Currents Lab 2014
Name: _______________________________________________ Class Period: ______
The extreme heat in the center of the earth causes convection currents in the asthenosphere which is
made of hot molten material on which the lithospheric plates move. The purpose of this lab is to bring
you to an understanding of the connection between the convection currents within the mantle of the
earth and the moving of Earth’s plates.
Materials: (per group of 4)
 250 mL beaker
 600 mL beaker
 20 mL molasses
 50 mL clear corn syrup
 3-4 pieces of graham cracker
 400 mL of very hot water
 Hot pads
 Hot plates
 2 glass graduated cylinders
Procedure:
1. Fill the 600 mL beaker with 400 mL of water. Turn on your hot plate (to highest setting) and
place the 600 mL beaker with water on it. Do not touch the hot plate with anything other than
the beaker.
2. While you are waiting for the water to get very warm, send two people from your group to
measure out 20 mL of molasses in one of the glass graduated cylinders and 50 mL of clear corn
syrup in the other glass graduated cylinder.
3. Someone in your group also needs to get 3-4 pieces of graham crackers.
4. Put the 20 mL of molasses into the 250 mL beaker.
5. Next, VERY CAREFULLY (YES, BE CAREFUL, TAKE YOUR TIME) add the 50 mL of corn syrup to the
molasses, by pouring the corn syrup slowly down the edge of the beaker. This way it stays
mostly on the top.
6. Gently place the graham cracker pieces on top of the corn syrup
Once the water gets to almost boiling…
7. Remove the 600 mL beaker of very warm water from the hot plate using the hot pads and place
on the counter. Turn off your hot plate immediately.
8. Carefully place the 250 mL beaker into the 600 mL beaker of very hot water. Be sure that NONE
of the hot water from the 600 mL beaker gets into the 250 mL beaker.
9. Watch what happens.
10. Record your observations for 10-15 minutes. See the next page for the area to record your
observations.
Convection Currents Lab 2014
Observations:
What do you notice
happening with the
molasses?
What do you notice
happening with the
corn syrup?
What do notice
happening with the
graham crackers?
11. Clean up your lab station. Rinse out all containers, dry everything off and set it back up again
ready for the next group to use.
Review Questions:
1. What is the lithosphere? Describe what it looks like and its composition.
2. What does the lithosphere float on? _____________________________________
3. What is the thickness of the crust? ___________________________
4. What kind of material is the asthenosphere is made of and how does it behave?
Convection Currents Lab 2014
5. How is the thermal energy in the Earth related to the rock cycle?
6. What is convection?
7.
What do the convection currents in the asthenosphere do?
8. Draw a diagram showing how convection currents are the driving force of plate tectonics.
Include thermal energy, differences in magma moving away from the core of the earth through
the mantle, and movement of convection currents.