Why are there stripes of magnetic rock on either side of the ocean ridges?

Why are there stripes of magnetic rock on either side of the ocean ridges?

When lava gets erupted at the mid-ocean ridge axis it cools and turns into hard rock. As it cools it becomes permanently magnetized in the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid-ocean ridges.

How do magnetic stripes of iron in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading?

How do magnetic stripes of iron in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading? They show how the density of the seafloor has changed. They reveal a matching pattern on either side of the ridge. They reveal differences in the mineral composition of newly created rock.

What causes the stripes on the bottom of the sea floor especially at the Mid-Ocean Ridge?

The specific magnetism of basalt rock is determined by the Earth’s magnetic field when the magma is cooling. Scientists determined that the same process formed the perfectly symmetrical stripes on both side of a mid-ocean ridge. Oceanic crust slowly moves away from mid-ocean ridges and sites of seafloor spreading.

What do you observe about the magnetic stripe pattern on each side of the oceanic ridge?

What do you observe about the magnetic stripe pattern on each side of the oceanic ridge? The stripes are symmetric across the Oceanic Ridge.

What is being formed in the mid oceanic ridge?

Mid-ocean ridges occur along divergent plate boundaries, where new ocean floor is created as the Earth’s tectonic plates spread apart. As the plates separate, molten rock rises to the seafloor, producing enormous volcanic eruptions of basalt.

What does magnetic stripe pattern mean?

Scientists discovered that the rock that makes up the ocean floor lies in a pattern of magnetized “stripes.” These stripes hold a record of reversals in Earth’s magnetic field. The rock of the ocean floor contains iron. The rock began as molten material that cooled and hardened.

Which statement accurately describes how magnetic stripes in ocean rock provide?

Which statement accurately describes how magnetic stripes in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading? C. The pattern of magnetic strips shows that the seafloor is expanding at mid-ocean ridges.

How do magnetic stripes on the ocean floor serve as evidence for seafloor spreading quizlet?

How do strips of magnetized rock on the ocean floor provide evidence of sea-floor spreading? Strips of ocean-floor basalt record the polarity of Earth’s magnetic field at the time the rock formed. The pattern shows that ocean floor forms along mid-ocean ridges and then moves away from the ridge.

What happens to the rock along the ridge when new molten material erupts?

What happens to the rock along the ridge when new molten material erupts? The older rock moves outward on both sides of the ridge as new rock forms in the center of the ridge from cooling of molten material. This process is sea floor spreading.

What causes magnetic stripes on the seafloor quizlet?

Why does the rock of the ocean floor have a pattern of magnetic stripes? The rock of the ocean floor contains iron. As molten material cooled and hardenend, the iron bits inside lined up in the direction of Earth’s magnetic poles, creating a pattern of magnetized stripes.

What type of rock is formed at mid-ocean ridges?

Igneous rock
Igneous rock is formed by the cooling and crystallization of molten magma at volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges, where new crust is generated. Examples of igneous rock are basalt, granite, and andesite (Fig. 7.57 A).

Where is the Mid Oceanic Ridge located?

the Atlantic Ocean
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mid-ocean ridge (a divergent or constructive plate boundary) located along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, and part of the longest mountain range in the world.

What are the magnetic stripes of the mid ocean ridge?

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. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid-ocean ridges.

How is the age of the crust related to seafloor spreading?

The age, density, and thickness of oceanic crust increases with distance from the mid-ocean ridge. Geomagnetic Reversals. The magnetism of mid-ocean ridges helped scientists first identify the process of seafloor spreading in the early 20th century.

Why does seafloor spreading occur at divergent plate boundaries?

Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent plate boundaries. As tectonic plates slowly move away from each other, heat from the mantle’s convection currents makes the crust more plastic and less dense. The less-dense material rises, often forming a mountain or elevated area of the seafloor.

What happens to lava at the mid ocean ridge?

When lava gets erupted at the mid-ocean ridge axis it cools and turns into hard rock. As it cools it becomes permanently magnetized in the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field.