How is heat transferred beneath Earth's surface?
1 Answer
It is hypothesized that there are convection currents in the mantle that transfer heat beneath the crust.
Explanation:
There are places where the plates separate (divergent zones) It is hypothesized that this is where the convection current comes up toward the surface of the crust.
There are places where the plates come together and plunge down (convergent zones, and subduction zones). It is hypothesized that this is where the convection currents go down.
The heat of the core must radiate up like a stove top. When the heat from the core reaches the semi liquid mantle it can start convection currents.
When Continental drift ( plate tectonics) theory was first proposed it was opposed because there was no mechanism strong enough to move continents, the theory seemed to support catastrophes not uniformtarism and opposed the understanding of Darwinian evolution at that time.
The hypothesis of convection currents answers the question of a mechanism strong enough to move the continents.
