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What is Oceanic Drift?

Updated: 5/26/2024
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15y ago

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The Earth's oceans being fluid cannot drift!

Continental drift is the very slow movement of continental plates floating on the Earth's mantle.

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15y ago
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1mo ago

Oceanic drift refers to the movement of surface water in oceans due to wind, Earth's rotation, and differences in water density. It plays a critical role in the redistribution of heat, nutrients, and marine life across different regions of the world's oceans. Oceanic drift can also impact climate patterns and the formation of ocean currents.

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Q: What is Oceanic Drift?
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Related questions

Does the oceanic plate theory provide evidence for continental drift?

Yes


New oceanic lithosphere forms as a result of?

New oceanic lithosphere forms as a result of seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges. Magma rises from the mantle, solidifies at the mid-ocean ridge, and creates new oceanic crust. This process leads to the continuous expansion of the ocean floor.


Is the theory of the continental drift true?

Continental Drift is an obsolete name for the theory of Plate Tectonics and yes, it is true. It has been proved in many ways, by comparing the composition of oceanic crust and its ages with that of the continental crust, by plotting the reversals of magnetism in the oceanic crust and many other ways.


How does seafloor spreading explain continental drift?

Seafloor spreading is caused by two plates moving apart. This is caused by plate tectonics. Continental drift is also caused by plate tectonics. Therefore, we can conclude that continental drift is related to seafloor spreading. When the plates move, it carries the continents with it, and thus the continents drift away from each other.


Who is Alfred Wegener and what was his Hypothesis about how Earth's continents have moved?

Alfred Wegener was a scientist who proposed the theory of continental drift and the idea of isostasy. The idea of isostasy stated that continental blocks drifted upon oceanic blocks (continental blocks had a lower density than oceanic blocks, which explained why it was higher than oceanic blocks).


How does seafloor spreading support continental drift?

Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is formed and spreads away from the ridge. This process provides evidence for continental drift as it shows that the oceanic crust is younger near the ridges and gets progressively older farther away. This supports the idea that continents were once connected and have since moved apart.


The fact that similar fossils are found on both sides of the ocean is evidence of . global positioning oceanic drifts continental drift magnetic reversal?

continental drift. This is because the presence of similar fossils on opposite sides of the ocean suggests that the landmasses were once connected and have since drifted apart. This phenomenon supports the theory of continental drift proposed by Alfred Wegener.


What theory explains the processes that shape the Earths surface into mountains deep sea trenches and oceanic ridges?

the theory of sea floor spreading or continental drift


Which continent has moved the least in continental drift?

Antarctica has moved the least in continental drift due to its location in the South Pole and being surrounded by oceanic crust, which has limited its movement compared to other continents.


Could the earth's magnetic poles be the cause of continental drift?

No, the Earth's magnetic poles are not responsible for continental drift. Continental drift is primarily driven by the movement of tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere. The Earth's magnetic field does play a role in plate tectonics through magnetic stripes on the ocean floor, but it is not the primary cause of continental drift.


What was one of the main objections to Wegner's continental drift hypothesis?

One main objection to Wegner's continental drift hypothesis was the lack of a plausible mechanism to explain how continents could move through solid oceanic crust. At that time, the idea of continental drift contradicted prevailing scientific beliefs about the rigidity of the Earth's crust.


A place where seafloor spreading occurs.?

2. Mid Ocean Ridges are the place where new crust is formed. 1. oceanic plates or oceanic crust