Theory Of Seafloor Spreading Is Given By

It leads to the formation of new material on the ridge.

Theory of seafloor spreading is given by.

When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. Like the scientists before us we will now merge the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading into the theory of plate tectonics. Tectonicus from the ancient greek. Pertaining to building is a scientific theory describing the large scale motion of seven large plates and the movements of a larger number of smaller plates of earth s lithosphere since tectonic processes began on earth between 3 3 and 3 5 billion years ago.

When the concept of seafloor spreading came along scientists recognized that it was the mechanism to explain how continents could move around earth s surface. Plate tectonics from the late latin. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones known collectively as the mid ocean ridge system and spreads out laterally away from them. This idea played a pivotal role in the development of the theory of plate tectonics which revolutionized geologic thought during the last quarter of the 20th century.

Seafloor spreading helps to explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics. In 1912 when alfred wegener proposed that the continents had once been joined together and had split apart the biggest weakness in his hypothesis was the. Sea floor spreading theory. When the concept of seafloor spreading came along scientists recognized that it was the mechanism to explain how continents could move around earth s surface.

The motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically. The theory of seafloor spreading the mid ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs in which tectonic plates large slabs of earth s lithosphere split apart from each other. Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift. Like the scientists before us we will now merge the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading into the theory of plate tectonics.

Supporters of continental drift originally theorized that the continents moved drifted through unmoving oceans. As upwelling of magma continues the plates continue to diverge a process known as seafloor spreading samples collected from the ocean floor show that the age of oceanic crust increases with distance from the spreading centre important evidence in favour of this process. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity. Theory of plate tectonics.