Seafloor Spreading

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. 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.
The theory of seafloor spreading is made
by Harry Hess
 The Process of Sea Floor Spreading
The mid-ocean ridge is the region where new oceanic
crust is created. The oceanic crust is composed
of rocks that move away from the ridge as new crust
is being formed. The formation of the new crust is
due to the rising of the molten material (magma)
from the mantle by convection current. When the
molten magma reaches the oceanic crust, it cools
and pushes away the existing rocks from the ridge
equally in both directions
A younger oceanic crust is then formed, causing the
spread of the ocean floor. The new rock is dense but not
as dense as the old rock that moves away from the ridge.
As the rock moves, further, it becomes colder and denser
until it reaches an ocean trench or continues spreading.
It is believed that the successive movement of the rocks
from the ridge progressively increases the ocean depth
and have greater depths in the ocean trenches. Seafloor
spreading leads to the renewal of the ocean floor in every
200 million years, a period of time for building a mid-
ocean ridge, moving away across the ocean and
subduction into a trench.
Evidence of Sea Floor Spreading
Harry Hess’s hypothesis about seafloor
spreading had collected several pieces of
evidence to support the theory. This evidence
was from the investigations of the molten
material, seafloor drilling, radiometric age
dating and fossil ages, and the magnetic
stripes. This evidence however was also used
to support the Theory of Continental drift.
Evidence
1. Molten material
2. Seafloor drill
3. Radiometric age dating and fossil
ages
4. Magnetic stripes
1.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. The
condition on the mid-oceanic ridge was
substantially different from other surfaces away
from the region because of the warmer
temperature. He described that the molten magma
from the mantle arose due to the convection
currents in the interior of the earth.
2.This means that the magma that leaks
from the ridge pushes the old rocks
away and as they increasingly become
distant, they more likely become older,
denser, and thicker. On the other hand,
the newest, thinnest crust is located
near the center of the mid-ocean ridge,
the actual site of seafloor spreading.
3.By the use of radiometric age dating and
studying fossil ages, it was also found out the
rocks of the sea floor age is younger than the
continental rocks. It is believed that continental
rocks formed 3 billion years ago,. It is a clear
evidence that the formation of rocks in the sea
floor is due to reabsorption of materials.
4.The magnetic survey was conducted in the
Mid-ocean ridge in order to investigate
evidence of sea-floor spreading. The
minerals contained in the rocks are
oriented opposite to the magnetic field. The
patterns of the magnetic field will then be
compared to the rocks to determine its
approximate ages.
Quiz
1.What is Seafloor spreading ?
2.Who made the theory about
Seafloor Spreading ?
3.The formation of the new crust is
due to the rising of what ?
4-7. Give the 4 evidence of seafloor
spreading
8.How many years does it take for
building mid ocean Rindge ?