Which is the best evidence supporting the concept of seafloor spreading?

Supporting Evidence for Seafloor Spreading First, samples of the deep ocean floor show that basaltic oceanic crust and overlying sediment become progressively younger as the mid-ocean ridge is approached, and the sediment cover is thinner near the ridge.

What are the evidence that supports the theory of seafloor spreading?

Harry Hess’s hypothesis about seafloor spreading had collected several pieces of evidence to support the theory. This evidence was from the investigations of the molten material, seafloor drilling, radiometric age dating and fossil ages, and the magnetic stripes.

What are the strongest evidence for the seafloor spreading?

When the Earth’s magnetic field reverses, a new stripe, with the new polarity, begins. Such magnetic patterns led to recognition of the occurrence of sea-floor spreading, and they remain some of the strongest evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.

What evidence helped give strong support for the hypothesis of seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges?

This hypothesis was supported by several lines of evidence: (1) at or near the crest of the ridge, the rocks are very young, and they become progressively older away from the ridge crest; (2) the youngest rocks at the ridge crest always have present-day (normal) polarity; and (3) stripes of rock parallel to the ridge …

What is the evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics?

Evidence from fossils, glaciers, and complementary coastlines helps reveal how the plates once fit together. Fossils tell us when and where plants and animals once existed. Some life “rode” on diverging plates, became isolated, and evolved into new species.

What evidence supports plate tectonics quizlet?

Rock and fossils found in South America match those found in Africa, although there is an ocean in between. This also indicates that the two continents were once joined. Other evidence of plate tectonics include Seafloor spreading, which involves the creation of new crust at divergent plate boundaries.

Which evidence best supports the claim that plate tectonics cause earthquakes?

Which evidence best supports the claim that plate tectonics cause earthquakes? The distribution of rocks is determined by the history of plate motions. A transform boundary is created when two plates slide past one another.

What evidence do we have of seafloor spreading list at least two examples?

Several types of evidence supported Hess’s theory of sea-floor spreading: eruptions of molten material, magnetic stripes in the rock of the ocean floor, and the ages of the rocks themselves.

What evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

The four pieces of evidence for the continental drift include continents fitting together like a puzzle, scattering ancient fossils, rocks, mountain ranges, and the old climatic zones’ locations.

How does seafloor spreading support the continental drift theory?

Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift. Supporters of continental drift originally theorized that the continents moved (drifted) through unmoving oceans. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity.

What evidence proved that S America Africa India and Australia were once glacial?

What evidence proved that South America Africa India and Australia were once covered by glaciers * 1 point? Glacial deposits and scratches in the bedrock from an ice sheet match in distant regions. Icy glaciers covered South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia as one supercontinent over the North Pole.

Which evidence best supports that South America and Africa were once joined together?

Fossil Evidence

One type of evidence that strongly supported the Theory of Continental Drift is the fossil record. Fossils of similar types of plants and animals in rocks of a similar age have been found on the shores of different continents, suggesting that the continents were once joined.

What other evidence supports that North and South America Europe and Africa once were connected?

In the early part of the 20th century, scientists began to put together evidence that the continents could move around on Earth’s surface. The evidence for continental drift included the fit of the continents; the distribution of ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain ranges; and the locations of ancient climatic zones.

How does the fossil evidence of Mesosaurus support the continental drift theory?

One of these animals—an ancient freshwater reptile named Mesosaurus—could not have crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, Wegener proposed that the animal lived within the rivers and lakes of a singular landmass which later broke apart. Other fossil evidence also supports the theory of continental drift.

How do fossils support the theory of evolution?

Fossils of the simplest organisms are found in the oldest rocks, and fossils of more complex organisms in the newest rocks. This supports Darwin’s theory of evolution, which states that simple life forms gradually evolved into more complex ones. Evidence for early forms of life comes from fossils.

What evidence do fossils provide about the ancestors of whales?

Fossils provide lots of evidence about the ancestors of whales. For example it shows that a land mammal lived between 50 million and 70 million years ago. Scientists think whales evolved from these ocean-dwelling mammals. They can tell this and more cell from a fossil.

Why are fossils considered to provide the strongest evidence supporting evolution?

Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the past. Fossils are important evidence for evolution because they show that life on earth was once different from life found on earth today.

How do fossils provide evidence for evolution quizlet?

Fossils are important evidence for evolution because they provide direct evidence of extinct organisms and allow scientists to trace the evolution of modern species from extinct ones.

How do vestigial organs provide evidence for the theory of evolution?

Structures that have lost their use through evolution are called vestigial structures. They provide evidence for evolution because they suggest that an organism changed from using the structure to not using the structure, or using it for a different purpose.

How do fossils support evidence of the phylogenetic tree?

Fossils document the existence of now-extinct species, showing that different organisms have lived on Earth during different periods of the planet’s history. They can also help scientists reconstruct the evolutionary histories of present-day species.