sea-floor spreading and continental drift review

Front

What is sea-floor spreading?

Back

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and gradually moves away from the ridge, causing the sea floor to expand.

Front

What is continental drift?

Back

The theory that continents have moved over geological time from a single supercontinent to their current locations.

Front

What force is responsible for moving the continents?

Back

Convection currents in the Earth's mantle.

Front

What evidence supports the theory of sea-floor spreading?

Back

Rock formations, magnetic seafloor stripes, and the age of rocks.

Front

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener.

Front

What technology was used to map the seafloor during WWII?

Back

Sonar.

Front

What is a supercontinent?

Back

A large landmass that contains all or most of the Earth's continents, such as Pangaea.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries.

Front

What is the mid-ocean ridge?

Back

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics, where sea-floor spreading occurs.

Front

What are magnetic seafloor stripes?

Back

Patterns of magnetic orientation in the ocean floor that provide evidence of sea-floor spreading.