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The movement of the Earth's tectonic plates, which make up the outer shell of the Earth, is responsible for moving the seafloor and continents. This movement is driven by processes such as mantle convection, where heat from the Earth's core causes the semi-fluid rock in the mantle to flow and create forces that push or pull the tectonic plates.

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What moves continents?

Continents move due to the process of plate tectonics. This involves the movement of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into large sections called tectonic plates. These plates can move due to processes like seafloor spreading, subduction, and continental drift, causing continents to shift over millions of years.


What role did seafloor spreading play in arranging the continents as they are today?

Seafloor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is created through volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges. As this new crust forms, it pushes the existing crust apart, which in turn causes the continents to move. This movement of the tectonic plates, driven by seafloor spreading, plays a significant role in shaping the arrangement of continents as they are today through the theory of plate tectonics.


How continents evolved?

Continents have evolved over billions of years through the process of plate tectonics. This involves the movement and interaction of large sections of the Earth's lithosphere, resulting in the formation, breakup, and reformation of continents. The continents we see today have been shaped by processes such as subduction, seafloor spreading, and continental collisions.


How has seafloor spreading affected the continents?

it has moved Africa and North America farther apart


What do you call a large area between continents underwater?

A large area between continents underwater is called a ocean basin or a mid-ocean ridge. Ocean basins are vast regions of the seafloor that separate different continents, while mid-ocean ridges are underwater mountain ranges that can extend for thousands of kilometers between continents.

Related Questions

How is seafloor spreading different than continental drift?

Seafloor spreading is the process where new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and then moves apart, while continental drift refers to the movement of continents on the Earth's surface. Seafloor spreading is one mechanism that helps drive the movement of continents as part of plate tectonics.


What seafloor is the process by which new crust is created when seafloor moves apart and magma rises?

Seafloor Spreading


What is the idea that continents have moved horizontally through the seafloor to their current locations?

seafloor spreading by Harry Hess


What does seafloor spreading have to do with the theory of continental drift?

Seafloor Spreading helped move the Continents to their current location.


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.


What movement causes continents to grow outward?

The movement that causes continents to grow outward is called seafloor spreading. This occurs at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates diverge, allowing magma to come up and create new seafloor. As new seafloor forms, it pushes the continents on either side further apart, leading to the growth of the continents.


What moves continents?

Continents move due to the process of plate tectonics. This involves the movement of the Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into large sections called tectonic plates. These plates can move due to processes like seafloor spreading, subduction, and continental drift, causing continents to shift over millions of years.


What caused the continents to rise from the seafloor millions of years ago?

floaties


How does seafloor spreading affect us?

seafloor spreading affects us with help from continental drift. seafloor spreading creates new seafloors, but moves the continents a few centimeters apart from each other every year. in many years, pangaea will become aeagnap, because the continents will become one big land again, but backwards, and will damage the faults and the only land we have severely.


Are all plate boundaries located along the margins of continents?

No. Many plate boundaries are on the seafloor far from continents and several are well within continents.


What primary force that causes the seafloor to spread and continents to drift?

Geothermal Drift.


What was the primary force that causes the seafloor to spread and continents to drift?

The primary force driving seafloor spreading and continental drift is mantle convection. Heat from Earth's core causes the mantle to circulate, creating convection currents that move tectonic plates, leading to the spreading of the seafloor and movement of continents.