Is seafloor spreading drifted the continents?

Seafloor spreading is the mechanism for Wegener’s drifting continents. Convection currents within the mantle take the continents on a conveyor-belt ride of oceanic crust that over millions of years takes them around the planet’s surface.

Who proved continental drift with seafloor spreading?

Harry Hess
Alfred Wegener produced evidence in 1912 that the continents are in motion, but because he could not explain what forces could move them, geologists rejected his ideas. Almost 50 years later Harry Hess confirmed Wegener’s ideas by using the evidence of seafloor spreading to explain what moved continents.

What proves continental drift?

The evidence for continental drift included the fit of the continents; the distribution of ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain ranges; and the locations of ancient climatic zones.

What are evidence of seafloor spreading?

Abundant evidence supports the major contentions of the seafloor-spreading theory. First, samples of the deep ocean floor show that basaltic oceanic crust and overlying sediment become progressively younger as the mid-ocean ridge is approached, and the sediment cover is thinner near the ridge.

How do evidence of continental drift and seafloor spreading prove that the plates move?

Until only recently, geologists had thought that Earth’s surface hadn’t changed much since the planet formed 4.6 billion years ago. They believed that the oceans and continents were always where they are now. But less than 100 years ago, a German scientist named Alfred Wegener took notice of some interesting findings.

Is the continental drift?

Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologists thought continents moved over time. In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other.

What is the theory of plate tectonics helps explain which of the following?

The theory of plate tectonics explains most of the features of Earth’s surface. It explains why earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain ranges are where they are. It explains where to find some mineral resources. Plate tectonics is the key that unlocks many of the mysteries of our amazing planet.

How is the continental drift theory different from plate tectonics?

The main difference between plate tectonics and continental drift is that plate tectonics describes the features and movement of Earth’s surface in the present and in the past whereas continental drift describes the drifting of Earth’s continents on the ocean bed.

What is the difference between continental drift theory and seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift. Supporters of continental drift originally theorized that the continents moved (drifted) through unmoving oceans. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity.

How does sea floor spreading disprove and support continental drift theory?

Similar to Wegener’s theory that continents do in fact move, Hess’ seafloor spreading contradicted Wegener’s continental drift in that it involved the ocean sea floor moving as it expanded—instead of continents ploughing through the sea.

How does plate tectonics differ from continental drift?

What aspect of the continental drift theory is opposed by the seafloor spreading theory explain how they differ?

What are facts about seafloor spreading?

Molten material. Hess’s discovery on the warmer temperature near the mid-Atlantic ridge when he began the ocean mapping,led to his evidence about the molten material underneath the ocean.

Seafloor drill. The seafloor drilling system led to the evidence that supports the seafloor-spreading hypothesis.

Radiometric age dating and fossil ages.

What are the results of seafloor spreading?

Geographic Features. The process of seafloor spreading leads to the formation of numerous geographical features which can be terrestrial, sub-terrestrial, or marine features. Seafloor spreading is credited for the formation of the Red Sea as a result of the movement of the Arabian and African tectonic plates away from each other.

What is an example of sea floor spreading?

New geographic features can be created through seafloor spreading. The Red Sea, for example, was created as the African plate and the Arabian plate tore away from each other. Today, only the Sinai Peninsula connects the Middle East (Asia) with North Africa.

What is the theory of seafloor spreading?

The Theory of Seafloor Spreading. Seafloor spreading is a geologic process where there is a gradual addition of new oceanic crust in the ocean floor through a volcanic activity while moving the older rocks away from the mid-oceanic ridge.