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Under the oceanic crust is the layer of the earth called the mantle. This layer is moving rock that is very, very hot! As the hot material in the mantle pushes up through the crust in the sea floor, it cools and becomes new crust as it pushes out (spreads) the sea floor. This movement in the plates causes other plates (continental and oceanic) to move as well. This is how sea floor spreading causes continents to move.
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About sea floor spreading?
Sea-floor spreading is what happens when the plates in the earth's crust move apart. During this movement of the plates, magma wells up from deep within the earth and fills in the cracks, forming a new oceanic crust, or sea-floor.
Why do continents drift?
The theory is called the Continental Drift Theory. That means that over a long period of time the continents shifted away from each other and formed the earth that we see today. The continents are able to shift and move because they lie on tectonic plates, which are sub-layers that move and float. Tectonic plates cause earthquakes and volcanoes.
How can magma cause the plates that carry the continents to move apart?
magma is very hot so as it boils it moves the plates of the earth causing the continents to slowly move apart
What happens to the old ocean floor as the sea floor spreads?
As the sea floor spreads, the old ocean floor gets pushed out, which makes the plates move.
Why does the shape of the Earth's ocean and continents continue to change?
They move because of the tectonic plates of the Earth.
How does sea floor spreading provides an explanation for how continents move over earth's surface?
Sea floor spreading provides a way for the continents to move over Earth's surface. Continents are carried by the widening sea floor. The molten rock from a rift cools, hardens, and then moves away in the opposite directions on both sides of the ridges. hope this helps :)
How sea floor spreading provides a mechanism by which continents move?
The fact that plates move apart means that the plates will carry anything.
What effect does subduction and sea floor spreading have on the earth's surface?
It allows the continents to move relative to each other.
What are the steps in the sea floor spreading?
In sea-floor spreading,the sea floor spreads apart along both sides of the mid-ocean ridge as a new crust is added.As a result,the ocean floors move like conveyor belts,carrying the continents along with them.
How sea floor spreading provides a way for continents to move?
because if the sea-floor is moving it will probably will move a chunk of land that could be part of a continent the land at the bottom of the ocean is being spread across, and is taking space up. the continents are on tectonic plates, and need to go some where and move away.
How does sea-floor spreading provide a way for continents to move?
because if the sea-floor is moving it will probably will move a chunk of land that could be part of a continent the land at the bottom of the ocean is being spread across, and is taking space up. the continents are on tectonic plates, and need to go some where and move away.
What are steps in the process sea floor spreading?
In sea-floor spreading,the sea floor spreads apart along both sides of the mid-ocean ridge as a new crust is added.As a result,the ocean floors move like conveyor belts,carrying the continents along with them.
What are the steps in the process of the sea-floor spreading?
In sea-floor spreading,the sea floor spreads apart along both sides of the mid-ocean ridge as a new crust is added.As a result,the ocean floors move like conveyor belts,carrying the continents along with them.
What is the Theory of suspect terranes?
The Suspect Terrane theory posits that many terranes, or small pieces of the Earth's lithosphere, make up each of the continents. These terranes move over millions of years due to sea floor spreading and cause the formation of the continents at large.
What does sea-floor spreading have to do with the continental drift theory?
If you move the continents appart (or togther), then you need to create (or destroy) seal floor to do this.Thus there must be structures on the sea floor that relate to the process of continental drift/movement (and there are).
Why is the Atlantic Ocean is spreading?
The oceanic crust of the Atlantic Ocean floor is attached to the continental crust of the continents around the ocean. So as the Atlantic's Ocean floor spreads, the continents along its edges also move. Over time, the whole ocean gets wider.
What does seafloor spreading have to do with the theory of continental drift?
Seafloor Spreading helped move the Continents to their current location.
