Sea Floor Spreading Activity

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.

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. Their crystals are pulled into alignment by the earth s magnetic field just like a compass needle is pulled towards magnetic north. As magma starts to harden into rock iron rich minerals solidify first. Alternatively this lesson can be taught after the concept of seafloor spreading so the evidence can be put into context.

The purpose of this activity is to make a simple model that shows the evolution of oceanic crust through sea floor spreading. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. Most basalt magmas contain abundant molten iron. When taught in series the lessons proceed in much the same way that scientists discovered seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.

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. Contents 1 history of study. 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. Once the basalt cools completely into solid rock the.

Mantle convection is the slow churning motion of earth s mantle. The older rock is close to 400 million years. 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. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for activity seafloor spreading.

Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. Seafloor spreading and other tectonic activity processes are the result of mantle convection. This choice is left up to the teacher depending on the reasoning skills of the students. 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.