XCarter McNeal 2/11/13 Slot E Natalie Sonkin Currents in the Mantle of the Earth Purpose: To replicate the currents

of magma in the mantle caused by heat rising.

Hypothesis: If we make cold water one color and hot water another color and pour the hot water into the cool water then you will be able to see the hot water rising and the cool falling because they are distinct colors. Materials Glitter Yellow food coloring Green Food coloring Tap water Hot plate 2 beakers

Procedure 1. Take the two beakers and fill them both with water. 2. Put one of the beakers on a hot plate for about a minute. 3. Once off the hot plate put the green food coloring in the hot water. 4. Put the yellow food coloring in the cool water. 5. Put the glitter in the green colored hot water. 6. Slowly pour the green hot water with glitter down the side of the yellow cool water beaker. 7. Record data and take observations.

Results In the experiment, we were able to see the currents caused by heat rising and cold falling. We saw this because we could tell the difference between the yellow water and the green water for long enough to see that the heat was falling to the bottom from being poured in, then rising back to the top. The glitter helped us see it because for the most part the glitter moved with the hot water. The difference in color helped us see the different temperatures.

Discussion We did this experiment to model the currents in the mantle. We did this by using hot and cold water that was color coordinated to tell the difference between hot and cold. We poured the hot water into the cold water. I thought that we would be able to see the heat rising and cool falling.

The heat did rise, and you could see the different colors for about 5 or 6 seconds before the colors mixed together. That was enough time for us to see that the heat did rise and the cool did fall. Next time I would use a darker color than yellow, because they mixed together much faster than we liked. The real life application to this is that this is what happens in the mantle, and we know this because we were modeling the currents in the mantle. 8

Conclusion

My hypothesis was accepted because we could see the heat rising and cool falling, even if it was only for a short time. I know this because the different colors were visible for a short time, and in that time, I saw the motion of the heat.

****** While it is acceptable to share data with lab partners for reports, all other information (hypothesis, variables, procedure, data presentation and processing, conclusion and evaluation) must be prepared separately.******