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Seafloor spreading provided a mechanism for the movement of continents, supporting Alfred Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift. As magma rises at mid-ocean ridges and solidifies, it creates new oceanic crust, pushing older crust away from the ridge and causing continents to drift apart. This process offered a tangible way to understand how continents could move over geological time, reinforcing the idea that they were once part of a supercontinent, Pangaea. Thus, seafloor spreading helped validate and expand upon Wegener's original theories.

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Description of seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.


How are seafloor spreading and continental drift related?

Seafloor spreading is a key component of the theory of continental drift. As new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges during seafloor spreading, it pushes the existing crust outward on both sides of the ridge. This movement can help explain how continents have shifted positions over time due to the movement of tectonic plates.


What theory was developed in the 1960's to explain continental drift and seafloor spreading?

The theory of plate tectonics was developed in the 1960s to explain continental drift and seafloor spreading. It proposes that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move and interact with one another, leading to phenomena like the drifting of continents and the creation of new seafloor.


Who proposed the theory of seafloor spreading based on maps of the ocean floor?

The theory of seafloor spreading was proposed by Harry Hess, a geologist and Navy officer, in the early 1960s. He proposed that new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and then spreads outward. This theory helped to explain the mechanism behind continental drift and plate tectonics.


What is the proponent of Seafloor spreading?

The proponent of seafloor spreading is primarily Harry Hess, an American geologist who proposed the theory in the early 1960s. He suggested that new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges through volcanic activity, and as it moves away from the ridge, it gradually cools and becomes denser. This process helps explain the movement of tectonic plates and is a key component of the broader theory of plate tectonics. Seafloor spreading provides insights into the geological history of the Earth and the mechanisms behind continental drift.

Related Questions

How did Harry Hess hypothesis explain seafloor spreading?

Harry Hess hypothesized that the sea floor was spreading. He explained it through the phenomena of the youngest rocks that are found only at the mid-ocean ridges. These rocks then, get progressively older when moving away from the ridge.


Description of seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.


What is ocean-floor spreading?

Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.


How are seafloor spreading and continental drift related?

Seafloor spreading is a key component of the theory of continental drift. As new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges during seafloor spreading, it pushes the existing crust outward on both sides of the ridge. This movement can help explain how continents have shifted positions over time due to the movement of tectonic plates.


How long ago was the hypothesis of continental drift is used to explain an event that happened?

The hypothesis of continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912 to explain the jigsaw-like fit of continents, similarities in rock types and fossils, and paleoclimate data. It wasn't widely accepted until the 1960s when evidence from paleomagnetism and seafloor spreading supported the theory.


What was not used in support of the continental drift hypothesis?

One key piece of evidence that was not initially used in support of the continental drift hypothesis was a mechanism explaining how continents could move. It wasn't until the discovery of plate tectonics and the development of the theory of seafloor spreading that a mechanism was found to explain how continents drift.


What is Ocean Floors?

Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.


A place where seafloor spreading occurs.?

2. Mid Ocean Ridges are the place where new crust is formed. 1. oceanic plates or oceanic crust


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.


How do you explain the process of the seafloor spreading?

The seafloor spreading definition is the geologic process that occurs at the boundary between 2 plates where molten material within the earth pushes its way up, causing the plates to move away from each other. At these divergent boundaries molten material cools and hardens, creating new oceanic crust or seafloor


What theory was developed in the 1960's to explain continental drift and seafloor spreading?

The theory of plate tectonics was developed in the 1960s to explain continental drift and seafloor spreading. It proposes that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move and interact with one another, leading to phenomena like the drifting of continents and the creation of new seafloor.


What is seafloor spreading that ''helps'' the theory of continental drift?

How seafloor spreading helps to explain the theory of continental drift is that wegener couldn't explain why and waht force caused the continents to move and so seafloor spreading helps to explain the theory of continental drift because it shows the force that made the continents move and that was te only thing that wagener needed to prove his theory of continental drift............thanks