Sea Floor Spreading Magnetic Reversal Exercise

At the mid ocean ridge spreading axis these flips in the direction of the earth s magnetic field are recorded in the magnetization of the lava.

Sea floor spreading magnetic reversal exercise.

These surveys revealed a series of invisible magnetic stripes of normal and reversed polarity in the sea floor like that shown in the figure below. A polarity reversal means that the magnetic north flips to where we know the south pole is. The discovery of magnetic stripes in oceanic crust and how this supports wegener s theory of continental drift or as we now know it plate tectonics. What they discovered was the mid ocean ridge was actually a site where tectonic plates which are large pieces of the earth s crust were pulling apart from.

Apparent wander of the magnetic poles. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid ocean ridges. Marine magnetic anomalies result from seafloor spreading in conjunction with choose one. Magnetic reversal proves seafloor spreading because we can see the polarity of the earth s magnetic field in rocks.

We have already seen how the recording of magnetic reversals led to the confirmation of the seafloor spreading hypothesis. As magma cools particles in it get frozen in the direction of the. Imagnetic reversals exercise 3 2 seafloor spreading rates north america point a pa re o ھے وف س سیم africa ye point b figure 5. The study of the earth s magnetic field as recorded in the rock record was an important key in reconstructing the history of plate motions.

Seafloor spreading and polar reversal. The patterns reflect the creation and spreading of oceanic crust along the mid oceanic ridges. Magnetic storms on the surface of the sun. Enjoy the videos and music you love upload original content and share it all with friends family and the world on youtube.

Basalt forming at the ridge crest picks up the existing magnetic polarity.