What's the theory of seafloor spreading? - ProProfs Discuss
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What's the theory of seafloor spreading?

Asked by Vsmi, Last updated: Apr 09, 2024

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7 Answers

Matz Lewis Clark

Matz Lewis Clark

Traveler and writer by profession.

Matz Lewis Clark
Matz Lewis Clark, College student, Graduation, Orlando

Answered Feb 01, 2021

The theory of seafloor spreading is one that makes the Central underwater ridges oceanic crust move outward. The reason for this is because of plate tectonics. With seafloor spreading, a new oceanic crust is formed.

The seafloor spreading theory is what led to the idea around plate tectonics. The idea of plate tectonics helps explain that tectonic plates will form continental drift. Experts of science have the belief that the continents were all on the seafloor.

Then, when the tectonic plates moved, it led to seafloors on various continents being separated. In the end, the main cause of seafloor spreading is the pull of tectonic plates.

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F. Hope

F. Hope

F. Hope
F. Hope

Answered Jan 29, 2021

Seafloor spreading is a geological process where through volcanic activity, a new oceanic crust is formed, and the crust is made of rocks that move away from the ridge as new crust develops. The formation of the new crust comes from the increasing molten material from the mantle by convection current.

Once the molten magma comes to the ocean crust, it cools and pushes away the existing rocks from the ridge equally in both directions. A new crust arises, which causes the spread of the ocean floor.

Large sections of the earth’s lithosphere split apart from each other, and seafloor spreading incites the renewal of the ocean floor. The mid-ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs, and it builds the mid-ocean ridge around every 200 million years.

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M. Jabrowsky

M. Jabrowsky

M. Jabrowsky
M. Jabrowsky, Bank Manager, Ohio

Answered Jan 25, 2021

Seafloor spreading theory states that oceanic crusts move along different mountain zones. This theory was propounded by Harry Hess in the 1960s. Scientists believe the world was once on the same seafloor. The seafloor spreading causes an outward movement of the oceanic crusts from central underwater ridges; this happens as a result of plate tectonics.

Plate tectonics explains the movement of other bigger plates that forms continental drifts. New oceanic crust is formed as a result of a new seafloor spreading. Seafloor spreading is also affected by other pressures, such as magma pressure. Seafloor spreading is caused by the separation of tectonic plates, which occurs mainly in the mid oceans ridges.

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Daniel Frederic

Daniel Frederic

Daniel Frederic
Daniel Frederic

Answered Jan 20, 2021

Seafloor spreading is a theory that states that the oceanic crust is formed along mountain zones that are submarines. These zones are most commonly known as the mid-ocean ridge system. They are spread laterally away from these zones.

The theory of seafloor spreading was very important to creating the idea around plate tectonics, which paved the way for a revolution in geologic thought in the last century. Seafloor spreading is a concept that was developed by Harry H. Hess. He developed this idea in 1960, and he was an American geologist. His hypothesis was able to be backed by several scientists.

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Isabel Mathew

Isabel Mathew

Coding is my forte plus writing and sharing my experiences online is one of my favorite hobbies.

Isabel Mathew
Isabel Mathew, Software engineer, BS(Bachelor of Science), Austin,Texas

Answered Jan 19, 2021

The theory is that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones, known collectively as the mid-ocean ridge system, and it stretches out laterally away from them. This idea played an integral role in developing the theory of plate tectonics, which changed geologic consideration during the last part of the 20th century.

It is a geological process where there is a gradual accumulation of new oceanic crust in the ocean base through a volcanic activity while shifting the older rocks away from the ocean ridge. The mid-ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs. It is where tectonic plates split apart from each other. The mid-ocean ridge is the area in which a new oceanic crust is created. The oceanic crust is made up of rocks that move away from the ridge as new crust is formed.

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E. Barnes

E. Barnes

But Can you play this?

E. Barnes
E. Barnes, Professional Gamer, Professional Gamer, Washington

Answered Jan 14, 2021

Seafloor spreading theory is something that people have always explored. This theory states that the oceanic crusts will be moving along different mountain zones. These “mountain zones” are also known as mid−ocean ridge systems. The seafloor will be spreading away from these zones. It was Harry Hess who proposed this theory back in the 1960s.

He believes that the basaltic magma that comes from the mantle will rise up and will eventually form a new ocean floor. This may explain why the seafloor is not as flat or as predictable as compared to pools or ponds that are man−made. It will be hard to control something that happens naturally.

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W. Kaye

W. Kaye

Here to answer and learn

W. Kaye
W. Kaye, Ex-Marine, Post Graduate, Chapel Hill

Answered Jan 12, 2021

Seafloor spreading is a process that causes the outward movement of oceanic crusts from Central underwater ridges as a result of plate tectonics. This simply means that a new oceanic crust is formed whenever there is seafloor spreading. The theory of seafloor spreading is what led to plate tectonics.

Plate tectonics explains the large-scale movement of tectonic plates to form continental drift. Scientists believed that every continent was once on the same seafloor, and the large-scale movement of the tectonic plates was what caused the separation of the seafloor into different continents.

While magma pressure is also contributing to seafloor spreading, the main cause of seafloor spreading is the subduction of tectonic plate slab pull. The tensional stress that is formed when oceanic plates diverge is what causes fractures in the lithosphere. Invariably, the separation of tectonic plates is what causes seafloor spreading, and it occurs mainly at mid-ocean ridges.

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