3 Questions
Match the following features with their role in seafloor spreading:
Mid-ocean ridges = Location of seafloor spreading Magma = Material that forms new oceanic crust Tectonic plates = Segments of the Earth's lithosphere Transform faults = Lateral movement between tectonic plates
Match the following terms with their significance in seafloor spreading:
Subduction zones = Where old oceanic crust is recycled into the mantle Paleomagnetism = Evidence for seafloor spreading Magnetic striping = Pattern of alternating polarity on the ocean floor Hess's hypothesis = Theory proposing seafloor spreading
Match the following scientists with their contributions to seafloor spreading:
Harry Hess = Proposed the theory of seafloor spreading Fred Vine = Discovered magnetic striping on the ocean floor Marie Tharp = Created the first map of the ocean floor Allan Cox = Provided evidence for seafloor spreading through paleomagnetism
Study Notes
Features of Seafloor Spreading
- Mid-ocean ridges: sites of volcanic activity where new oceanic crust is created as magma rises to the surface and solidifies
- Transform faults: zones where two tectonic plates are sliding horizontally past each other, without creating or destroying crust
- Magnetic stripes: alternating patterns of magnetized rocks on either side of mid-ocean ridges, providing evidence for seafloor spreading
- Oceanic trenches: deep, narrow depressions in the Earth's crust where older, denser crust is being pushed back into the mantle
Significance of Terms in Seafloor Spreading
- Seafloor spreading: the process of new oceanic crust being created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at oceanic trenches
- Paleomagnetism: the study of the Earth's magnetic field as recorded in rocks, providing evidence for seafloor spreading
- Convection currents: slow, circulating movements of hot, viscous rock in the Earth's mantle, driving plate tectonics
Contributions of Scientists to Seafloor Spreading
- Harry Hess: proposed the theory of seafloor spreading and the concept of convection currents
- Marie Tharp: created detailed maps of the ocean floor, revealing the existence of mid-ocean ridges and transform faults
- Fred Vine: developed the theory of paleomagnetism, providing key evidence for seafloor spreading
Test your knowledge of seafloor spreading with this interactive quiz. Match the key features with their roles in seafloor spreading, identify the significance of different terms in the process, and connect scientists with their contributions to advancing our understanding of seafloor spreading. This quiz will challenge your understanding of this fundamental concept in plate tectonics.
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