Seafloor Spreading Explained

Seafloor spreading happens at the bottom of an ocean as tectonic plates move apart.

Seafloor spreading explained. 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. This creates a three armed rift called a triple junction usually with each rift at a. Seafloor spreading is a part of plate tectonics. When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere.

Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. Convection currents carry heat from the lower mantle and core to the lithosphere. These age data also allow the rate of seafloor spreading to be determined and they show that rates. The motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically.

The process of sea floor spreading. The formation of the new crust is due to the rising of the molten material magma from the mantle by convection current. Learn more about sea floor spreading and how it works with this demo. The seafloor moves and carries continents with it.

Seafloor spreading helps to explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics. At ridges in the middle of oceans new oceanic crust is created. The oceanic crust is composed of rocks that move away from the ridge as new crust is being formed. Seafloor spreading and other tectonic activity processes are the result of mantle convection.

Seafloor spreading is a constant geologic phenomenon and a primary driver of continental drift. Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. Free background music no copyright music brvtvs dead times freebackgroundmusic webs. Its discovery provided a mechanism for continental drift that alfred wegener could not explain.

This video goes over the process of sea floor spreading and the evidence that supports this theory. Mantle convection is the slow churning motion of earth s mantle. The process begins when the crust is heated from beneath by upwelling in the mantle sometimes called a mantle plume.