Sea Floor Spreading Magnetic Reversal Exercise

What they discovered was the mid ocean ridge was actually a site where tectonic plates which are large pieces of the earth s crust were pulling apart from.

Sea floor spreading magnetic reversal exercise.

Map showing the age of the atlantic ocean seafloor in millions of years versus the distance from the mid ocean ridge age 0. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid ocean ridges. The study of the earth s magnetic field as recorded in the rock record was an important key in reconstructing the history of plate motions. We have already seen how the recording of magnetic reversals led to the confirmation of the seafloor spreading hypothesis.

The patterns reflect the creation and spreading of oceanic crust along the mid oceanic ridges. Magnetic reversal proves seafloor spreading because we can see the polarity of the earth s magnetic field in rocks. Magnetic reversals and sea floor striping a key factor in establishing the theory of plate tectonics was recognition of past reversals in the earth s magnetic field and the mapping of normal and reverse magnetic striping on the ocean floor. The motion of the earth s molten outer core produces a magnetic field that is characterized by force lines emanating from near the.

Marine magnetic anomalies result from seafloor spreading in conjunction with choose one. Basalt forming at the ridge crest picks up the existing magnetic polarity. A polarity reversal means that the magnetic north flips to where we know the south pole is. Seafloor spreading and polar reversal.

At the mid ocean ridge spreading axis these flips in the direction of the earth s magnetic field are recorded in the magnetization of the lava. Magnetic storms on the surface of the sun. Apparent wander of the magnetic poles. As magma cools particles in it get frozen in the direction of the.

Imagnetic reversals exercise 3 2 seafloor spreading rates north america point a pa re o ھے وف س سیم africa ye point b figure 5.