Mantle convection is the slow buoyancy-driven motion of a rocky planetary mantle. On geological timescales the solid mantle behaves as a highly viscous Newtonian fluid to first approximation.
Mantle convection is the process by which heat from the Earth's interior causes the movement of the semi-fluid mantle layer, which lies between the Earth's crust and the outer core. This process is a key mechanism in plate tectonics, influencing the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface. Here’s how mantle convection works: 1. **Heat Production**: The Earth's interior generates heat through radioactive decay and residual heat from the planet’s formation.
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