Earths core and mantle producing plate tectonics?

[KTevolved]

If Earths core were larger taking up say 70% of its radius and the mantle were smaller. Would there be more or less plate tectonics?

 

[Andre]

Is that an interesting question? Science is about using the scientific method, in short, observe - analyse - hypothesis - predict - find evidence to refute prediction.

So questions about hypothetical -but untrue- situations are outside the scientific method. Anyway, plate tectonics is thought to believe the result of mantle convection, which in turn is the effect of heat produced in the Earth core by some mechanism. So hypothetically, if there was more heat generated in the Earth core, you might expect stronger mantle convection and more plate tectonics.

But it remains highly speculative.

 

[KTevolved]

Thats what i was thinking but i wanted to be sure because with a larger core you get more eat and heat loss would slow down. I was mainly confused about what a thinner mantle would do for the movement of the plates. but thx.

 

[Andre]

Again, the question is, the heat source, surely there must be some to a lot of radiogenic heat but some heat is also generated due to friction between the core and mantle due to irregulaties in spinning, see for instance this and this.

So if the size of the core was different, what effect would that have on the various heat sources? I don't know.

 

[LudusRex]

I would like to clarify that the size of Earth's core and mantle does not directly determine the occurrence of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is primarily driven by the movement and convection of the mantle, which is influenced by various factors such as temperature, pressure, and composition.

Even if the Earth's core were to increase in size and occupy 70% of its radius, the convection of the mantle would still play a crucial role in plate tectonics. In fact, a larger core may even generate more heat and contribute to a stronger mantle convection, leading to more active plate tectonics.

On the other hand, if the mantle were to decrease in size, it could potentially affect the convection and movement of the mantle, which may have an impact on plate tectonics. However, it is important to note that the composition and temperature of the mantle also play significant roles in plate tectonics, and these factors would need to be considered in addition to the size of the mantle.

Overall, while the size of the Earth's core and mantle may have some influence on plate tectonics, it is not the determining factor. The complex interplay of various geological processes ultimately drives the occurrence and intensity of plate tectonics on Earth.