Theory Of Seafloor Spreading Evidence

Seafloor spreading helps to explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.

Theory of seafloor spreading evidence.

Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity. Evidence of sea floor spreading. The mid ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs in which tectonic plates large slabs of earth s lithosphere split apart from each other. The theory of seafloor spreading.

Harry hess s hypothesis about seafloor spreading had collected several pieces of evidence to support the theory. This idea played a pivotal role in the development of the theory of plate tectonics which revolutionized geologic thought during the last quarter of the 20th century. Eruptions of molten material magnetic stripes in the rock of the ocean floor and the ages of the rocks themselves. Evidence for sea floor spreading.

This evidence was from the investigations of the molten material seafloor drilling radiometric age dating and fossil ages and the magnetic stripes. In 1963 fred vine and d h. These age data also allow the rate of seafloor spreading to be determined and they show that rates. Which statement accurately describes how magnetic stripes in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading.

What evidence supports hess s theory of seafloor spreading. Check all that apply. When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. The motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically.

Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones known collectively as the mid ocean ridge system and spreads out laterally away from them. Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift. First samples of the deep ocean floor show that basaltic oceanic crust and overlying sediment become progressively younger as the mid ocean ridge is approached and the sediment cover is thinner near the ridge. This evidence led scientists to look again at wegener s hypothesis of continental drift.

As upwelling of magma continues the plates continue to diverge a process known as seafloor spreading samples collected from the ocean floor show that the age of oceanic crust increases with distance from the spreading centre important evidence in favour of this process. Supporting evidence for seafloor spreading. Seafloor spreading is a geologic process where there is a gradual addition of new oceanic crust in the ocean floor through a volcanic activity while moving the older rocks away from the mid oceanic ridge. Abundant evidence supports the major contentions of the seafloor spreading theory.

Matthews used paleomagnetism to test the theory of seafloor spreading by studying paleomagnetic data from a portion of the midocean ridge system if the seafloor has spread laterally by the addition of new crust at the oceanic ridges there should be a relatively symmetrical pattern of magnetic orientation normal polarity reversed polarity normal polarity and.