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Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates are pulled apart by convection currents in the mantle. As magma rises to the surface, it cools and solidifies, creating new oceanic crust and pushing the existing plates away from the ridge. This process continuously adds material to the ocean floor, driving the movement of tectonic plates laterally. Consequently, seafloor spreading contributes to the dynamic nature of plate tectonics, leading to the formation of new ocean basins and continental drift.

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What is it called when two ocean plates move apart and new crust is formed?

Seafloor spreading


How does the process of seafloor spreading occur with two tectonic plates moving away from each other?

Seafloor spreading happens when two tectonic plates move apart. Magma rises up from the mantle through the gap, creating new oceanic crust. As the plates continue to move apart, the new crust pushes the older crust away, causing the seafloor to spread.


What plates are causing seafloor spreading?

The plates causing seafloor spreading are known as divergent plates. These plates move away from each other, allowing magma from the mantle to rise up and create new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges. An example of such a plate boundary is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.


Does seafloor spreading hold the plates in place?

No, seafloor spreading does not hold the plates in place. Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is formed and spreads apart. It is driven by the movement of tectonic plates, which are actually responsible for holding the seafloor in place.


What is it called when two oceanic plates move apart and new crust is formed?

This process is called seafloor spreading. As the two plates move apart, magma rises from the mantle to create new crust at the mid-ocean ridge. This process helps explain the movement of Earth's tectonic plates and the reshaping of the ocean floor.


Sea-floor spreading is a result of?

Seafloor spreading occurs when two tectonic plates move further away from each at mid-ocean ridges. In these ridges new crust is formed through volcanic activity and thus expanding the seafloor.


Why Seafloor spreading is occurring at the boundary between the?

Seafloor spreading occurs at the boundary between tectonic plates because of the divergent movement of these plates. As the plates move apart, magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap, solidifying as it cools and creating new seafloor. This process is instrumental in the formation of mid-ocean ridges and plays a key role in the theory of plate tectonics.


What does seafloor spreading form?

Seafloor spreading forms new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges when tectonic plates move apart. As magma rises and solidifies, it creates new seafloor, pushing the older crust outward. This process contributes to the spreading of the seafloor and allows for the recycling of Earth's crust.


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

Seafloor Spreading helped move the Continents to their current location.


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 is the relationship between platetectonics and seafloor spreading?

Plate tectonics is the theory that earth is made of plates that move slowly. Sea floor spreading is related to this because the split created in the sea floor is created by the plates moving apart.


What boundary creates seafloor spreading?

A divergent boundary creates seafloor spreading. At these boundaries, tectonic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise from below the Earth's surface and create new crust at the mid-ocean ridges.