Sea Floor Spreading Model Activity

Spreading rates determine if the ridge is fast intermediate or slow.

Sea floor spreading model activity.

Seafloor spreading earth science indicator 9 describe the interior and structure of earth and earth s crust as divided into tectonic plates riding on top of slow moving currents of magma in the mantle earth science indicator 11 use models to analyze the size and shape of earth its surface and its interior e g globes. This interactive activity is simple to prepare and to execute and allows the students to understand seafloor spreading and the position of newer rock and older rock in relation to. Seafloor spreading and other tectonic activity processes are the result of mantle convection. Once the basalt cools completely into solid rock the.

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. The rate at which new oceanic lithosphere is added to each tectonic plate on either side of a mid ocean ridge is the spreading half rate and is equal to half of the spreading rate. Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. Sea floor spreading happens at places where plates are moving away from each other and where the liquid rock from the asthenosphere can come up to the lithosphere.

Displaying top 8 worksheets found for activity seafloor spreading. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. Convection currents carry heat from the lower mantle and core to the lithosphere. In the places where the plates are moving apart magma liquid rock moves up into the cracks and solidifies making a new ocean floor just like cake batter would ooze up through.

Most basalt magmas contain abundant molten iron. The creation of new sea floor at mid ocean spreading centers and its destruction in subduction zones is one of the many cycles that causes the earth to experience constant change. Seafloor spreading is the movement of magma through a crack in a mid oceanic ridge. 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.

As magma starts to harden into rock iron rich minerals solidify first. Their crystals are pulled into alignment by the earth s magnetic field just like a compass needle is pulled towards magnetic north. When a divergent boundary occurs in the ocean seafloor spreading is the result. A model of seafloor spreading purpose.

Mantle convection is the slow churning motion of earth s mantle. The purpose of this activity is to make a simple model that shows the evolution of oceanic crust through sea floor spreading and subduction.