Podcast
Questions and Answers
What geological process forms new rock at the mid-ocean ridges?
What geological process forms new rock at the mid-ocean ridges?
Why are the oldest seafloor rocks only about 180 million years old?
Why are the oldest seafloor rocks only about 180 million years old?
What type of rock forms when magma rises and cools at the seafloor?
What type of rock forms when magma rises and cools at the seafloor?
What happens at locations where the plates of the Earth's crust move apart?
What happens at locations where the plates of the Earth's crust move apart?
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Which of the following statements is true about continental rocks compared to seafloor rocks?
Which of the following statements is true about continental rocks compared to seafloor rocks?
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Study Notes
Seafloor Spreading
- Scientists discovered age and magnetic patterns in the seafloor about 40 years ago.
- This helped understand plate tectonics better.
- New seafloor forms continuously at mid-ocean ridges.
- Magma rises from Earth's interior, cools, and solidifies into new rock.
- Seafloor spreading occurs where plates move apart at ridges.
- Plates move away from the ridge, causing the seafloor to spread slowly.
- Trenches form where one plate slides under another.
- Older seafloor descends into trenches, meaning the oldest is around 180 million years old.
- Continental rocks are much older, some dating back 4 billion years.
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Description
Explore the fascinating process of seafloor spreading and its impact on our understanding of plate tectonics. This quiz covers key concepts such as mid-ocean ridges, the formation of new seafloor, and the age of oceanic vs. continental rocks. Test your knowledge on the mechanisms that shape our planet's geology!
