Plasticity

The mantle exhibits the property of plasticity. Plasticity is when liquid sometimes acts as a solid. To get an understanding of what plasticity is and how it works, we did a lab on plasticity with corn starch and water.

When you dip your hand in the mixture, it feels like a liquid. But when you stirr the mixture, it feels chunky. I would describe this mixture as liquid, unless squeezed hwere it turns solid. If you were the poke you finger very quickly, then the mixture seems solid.

This miwture is very similar to the earth's mantle because when you apply pressure, heat, and energy to both, they harden.