Sea Floor Spreading Activity

A model of seafloor spreading purpose.

Sea floor spreading activity.

Model of seafloor spreading templates one with three straight lines and another with striped bands or striped bands with arrows colored pencils or crayons. Seafloor spreading and other tectonic activity processes are the result of mantle convection. Alternatively this lesson can be taught after the concept of seafloor spreading so the evidence can be put into context. When taught in series the lessons proceed in much the same way that scientists discovered seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.

Once the basalt cools completely into solid rock the. Seafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for activity seafloor spreading. This idea played a pivotal role in the development of the theory of plate tectonics which revolutionized geologic thought during the last quarter of the 20th century.

Some of the worksheets for this concept are sea floor spreading work sea floor spreading a model of seafloor spreading inside earth work magnetic reversals activity name date sea floor spreading l 1 2 3 5 4 ovr l lesson 3 seafloor profiling seafloor spreading and subduction. Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. 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.

Most basalt magmas contain abundant molten iron. Convection currents carry heat from the lower mantle and core to the lithosphere. Contents 1 history of study. The mid ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs in which tectonic plates large slabs of earth s lithosphere split apart.

As magma starts to harden into rock iron rich minerals solidify first. This choice is left up to the teacher depending on the reasoning skills of the students. Sea floor spreading earth science post module 2 middle school page 3 the youngest rock will always be closest to the ridge area and the oldest will be on the outside closest to the continents. Their crystals are pulled into alignment by the earth s magnetic field just like a compass needle is pulled towards magnetic north.