Earth's Mantle - Molten Rock Flow Pattern
The Earth’s mantle has different temperatures. Because of those differing temperature, the mantle’s molten rock flows. In a way, the moving molten rock behaves much like a thick soup which boils in a saucepan.
This image - from Kent State University - further describes that concept:
Rising heat produce convection currents that converge driving plates together. Where convection currents diverge, this pushes the plates apart.
If we could capture that process, and put it to work in a sauce pan, we would produce the type of activity which we see on the right side of this image.
