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The plates drift apart causing lava from the inside of the earth to pop up and create mid-ocean ridges which causes new sea floor.

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14y ago
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6mo ago

Sea-floor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates are moving apart. Magma rises from the mantle through the rift created by plate separation, cooling and solidifying to form new oceanic crust. This process contributes to the expansion of the ocean floor and the movement of tectonic plates.

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10y ago

Ridge push is the idea that a ridge is a high point of convection current that pushes the plates aside and allows new mantle to rise and fill the hole.

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Q: How does sea-floor spreading work?
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Who discovered Seafloor Spreading?

Henry H. hess


What is the modern seafloor spreading rate range?

The modern seafloor spreading rate range is between 1 to 10 centimeters per year. This rate varies depending on the location of the mid-ocean ridge where the seafloor spreading is occurring.


How do the ages of the rocks on the seafloor support the theory of seafloor spreading?

The ages of the rocks become older the farther the way they are from the ridges. The closer they are the younger it is. This leaves evidence to the seafloor spreading theory.


What kinds of ocean currents might cause seafloor spreading?

Oceanic currents themselves do not directly cause seafloor spreading. Seafloor spreading is primarily driven by tectonic forces, specifically the movement of tectonic plates away from each other at mid-ocean ridges. This movement leads to the upwelling of magma from the mantle, creating new oceanic crust at the spreading center. Ocean currents can affect the distribution of heat and nutrients in the ocean, but they do not play a direct role in the process of seafloor spreading.


How is magnetism used to support the theory about seafloor spreading?

Magnetism is used to support the theory of seafloor spreading through the study of magnetic stripes on the seafloor. These stripes are aligned with the Earth's magnetic field and provide evidence for the process of seafloor spreading, where new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges. As the crust cools and solidifies, the magnetic minerals in the rocks align with the Earth's magnetic field, creating a record of magnetic reversals over time that support the theory of seafloor spreading.

Related questions

What did the magnetic strips prove in seafloor spreading?

They proved that the seafloor was spreading.


How to Diagram the process of seafloor spreading?

A diagram that shows how seafloor spreading works.


Seafloor spreading begins when?

Seafloor spreading is triggered by a rift in a continental land mass.


Which force is responsible for seafloor spreading?

Gravity in the oceanic crust is responsible for seafloor spreading.


Which observation was not instrumenntal in formulating the hypothesis of seafloor spreading?

The observation of the alternating magnetic stripes on the seafloor was instrumental in formulating the hypothesis of seafloor spreading.


What does seafloor spreading have to do with the theory of continental drift?

Seafloor Spreading helped move the Continents to their current location.


What seafloor is the process by which new crust is created when seafloor moves apart and magma rises?

Seafloor Spreading


Who discovered Seafloor Spreading?

Henry H. hess


What is the Site of the seafloor spreading?

how am i suposed to know


Does seafloor spreading hold the plates in place?

No, seafloor spreading does not hold the plates in place. Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is formed and spreads apart. It is driven by the movement of tectonic plates, which are actually responsible for holding the seafloor in place.


What does magma have to do with seafloor spreading?

Magma plays a key role in seafloor spreading as it rises from the mantle through the mid-ocean ridges, creating new oceanic crust. This process involves the formation of new crust as magma cools and solidifies along the spreading center, pushing the existing seafloor apart.


Description of seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.