They discovered a pattern of reverse and normal polarity in the rock bodies of the ocean floor that indicated that oceanic crust was constantly being formed over time. Polarity shifts in the Earth had already been noted in continental crustal rock. With the advent of radiometric dating, core samples were taken and dated, confirming that the youngest rock is found at the ridge and rock age advances with distance from the ridge.
because the scientists found that the farther the rocks the older the rocks were. so the youngest rocks were found near the mid-ocean ridge. this showed that sea-floor spreading took place. +++ The primary evidence is "magnetic striping": remnant magnetising by the Earth's magnetic field of the iron compounds in the basalt forming the ocean floor. The magnetic traces are parallel to the spreading-ridges, and their polarity reflect the field's periodic reversal. The further from the ridge, the older the stripes. The rock is imprinted with the magnetism as it cools below a certain point in being eruped along the ridge.
If one was measuring the temperatures of rocks on the seafloor, the hottest rocks would be located nearest to a mid ocean ridge. This is the location where the hot magma from the asthenosphere rises and is situated on either side of the ridge. The farther away the seafloor is from the central area of heat, the colder it is. This pattern is identical on both sides of a mid ocean ridge. However, if rocks are located near subduction zones or hot spots, they too would be hotter than the majority of the seafloor.
Strips of ocean-floor basalt record the polarity of earth's magnetic field at the time the rock formed. These strips form a pattern that is the same on both sides of the mid-ocean ridge. the pattern shows that ocean floor forms along mid-ocean ridges and then moves away from the ridge.
If you know how many stripes away from the mid-ocean ridge the rock is and you know how frequently the earth's poles flip you can use the stripes like rings on a tree to measure the age of that rock.
A mid-ocean ridge would have magnetic striping on the seafloor. This striping is caused by the alternating polarities of Earth's magnetic field recorded in the basaltic rocks as they cool and solidify at the mid-ocean ridge, providing evidence for seafloor spreading.
The Mid Ocean Ridge would have magnetic striping. As the seafloor expands, new oceanic crust is spread in either direction. As this process continues over many years, the magnetic poles may switch, altering the magnetism in the new crust. The poles will switch back and forth, producing the magnetic striping that is easily discernible when examining the Mid Ocean Ridge and surrounding seafloor.
The pattern of magnetic striping on one side of the ridge was a mirror image of the striping on the other side of the ridge, indicating that the plates were moving equally in opposite directions, giving a plausible explanation for continental drift theory. Before this discovery, no evidence of a mechanism for plate tectonics existed. It was obvious after this discovery, that new crust was being created at the ridges.
The polarities were mirror images on either side of the mid-ocean ridge.
They discovered a pattern of reverse and normal polarity in the rock bodies of the ocean floor that indicated that oceanic crust was constantly being formed over time. Polarity shifts in the Earth had already been noted in continental crustal rock. With the advent of radiometric dating, core samples were taken and dated, confirming that the youngest rock is found at the ridge and rock age advances with distance from the ridge.
Of course! Mountain ranges can be underwater! Right?...
Of course! Mountain ranges can be underwater! Right?...
because the scientists found that the farther the rocks the older the rocks were. so the youngest rocks were found near the mid-ocean ridge. this showed that sea-floor spreading took place. +++ The primary evidence is "magnetic striping": remnant magnetising by the Earth's magnetic field of the iron compounds in the basalt forming the ocean floor. The magnetic traces are parallel to the spreading-ridges, and their polarity reflect the field's periodic reversal. The further from the ridge, the older the stripes. The rock is imprinted with the magnetism as it cools below a certain point in being eruped along the ridge.
If one was measuring the temperatures of rocks on the seafloor, the hottest rocks would be located nearest to a mid ocean ridge. This is the location where the hot magma from the asthenosphere rises and is situated on either side of the ridge. The farther away the seafloor is from the central area of heat, the colder it is. This pattern is identical on both sides of a mid ocean ridge. However, if rocks are located near subduction zones or hot spots, they too would be hotter than the majority of the seafloor.
An ocean ridge is a line of mountains in middle of the ocean under the level of water.
Strips of ocean-floor basalt record the polarity of earth's magnetic field at the time the rock formed. These strips form a pattern that is the same on both sides of the mid-ocean ridge. the pattern shows that ocean floor forms along mid-ocean ridges and then moves away from the ridge.
Mid-Ocean Ridge