Theory Of Seafloor Spreading Is Supported By

Hess its major tenets gave great support to the theory of continental drift continental drift.

Theory of seafloor spreading is supported by.

Studies conducted with thermal probes for example indicate that the heat flow through bottom sediments is generally comparable to that through the continents except over the mid ocean ridges where at some sites the heat flow measures three to four times the normal value. The driver for seafloor spreading in plates with active margins is the weight of the cool dense subducting slabs that pull them along or slab pull. This evidence however was also used to support the theory of continental drift. Seafloor spreading theory of lithospheric evolution that holds that the ocean floors are spreading outward from vast underwater ridges.

Since then it has been shown that the motion of the continents is linked to seafloor spreading by the theory of plate tectonics. Harry hess s hypothesis about seafloor spreading had collected several pieces of evidence to support the theory. Theory of plate tectonics when the concept of seafloor spreading came along scientists recognized that it was the mechanism to explain how continents could move around earth s surface. This evidence was from the investigations of the molten material seafloor drilling radiometric age dating and fossil ages and the magnetic stripes.

Like the scientists before us we will now merge the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading into the theory of plate tectonics. Supporters of continental drift originally theorize d that the continents moved drifted through unmoving oceans. In this lesson you will learn about this important. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity.

Its discovery provided a mechanism for continental drift that alfred wegener could not explain. Seafloor spreading is a part of plate tectonics. A veritable legion of evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis.