Geology 2C: Sea Floor Spreading

Front

What is sea floor spreading?

Back

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and older crust moves away from the ridge.

Front

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics, where sea floor spreading occurs.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

Who is Harry Hess?

Back

An American geologist known for proposing the theory of sea floor spreading.

Front

What is oceanic crust?

Back

The part of the Earth's crust that underlies the ocean, typically denser than continental crust.

Front

What is continental crust?

Back

The part of the Earth's crust that forms the continents, generally less dense than oceanic crust.

Front

What happens at a deep-ocean trench?

Back

It is a location where oceanic crust is being subducted beneath another plate.

Front

Why is oceanic crust more dense than continental crust?

Back

Oceanic crust is primarily composed of basalt, which is denser than the granite that makes up continental crust.

Front

What is a hot water vent?

Back

A fissure in the ocean floor that emits hot, mineral-rich water, often found near mid-ocean ridges.

Front

What role do tectonic plates play in sea floor spreading?

Back

Tectonic plates move apart at mid-ocean ridges, allowing magma to rise and create new oceanic crust.