Why does the elevation of the seafloor decrease from the mid ocean ridge to the abyssal plain quizlet?

Why does the elevation of the seafloor decrease from the mid ocean ridge to the abyssal plain quizlet?

Why does the elevation of the seafloor decrease from the mid-ocean ridge to the abyssal plain? The oceanic lithosphere cools and becomes denser.

What is seafloor spreading quizlet?

sea-floor spreading. the process by which molten material adds new oceanic crust to the ocean floor.

Which of the following occurs when mountain belts are eroded?

Earth in Action #2

Term Definition
Which of the following occurs when mountain belts are eroded? deep metamorphic and plutonic rocks can be uplifted to the surface,the continental crust becomes thinner, erosion is accompanied by isostatic rebound

Which of the following parts of the seafloor are the shallowest?

Midocean ridges reach a typical summit elevation of 2,700 meters below sealevel. They are the shallowest major features of the seafloor. Perhaps counter to expectation, the oceans are deeper closer to continents and farthest from midocean ridges.

What rock forms oceanic plateaus?

What rock type forms oceanic plateaus? basalt.

Why does the seafloor decrease in elevation with distance from the mid-ocean ridge quizlet?

Why does the elevation of the seafloor decrease from the mid-ocean ridge to the abyssal plain? The oceanic lithosphere cools and becomes denser.

How did drilling samples show that seafloor spreading really has taken place *?

They found that the farther away from the ridge the samples were taken, the older the rocks were. The youngest rocks were always in the center of the ridges. This showed that sea- floor spreading really has taken place.

What is a result of seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading creates new crust. Subduction destroys old crust. The two forces roughly balance each other, so the shape and diameter of the Earth remain constant.

What rocks are formed on mountain belts?

Metamorphic rocks are closely associated with mountain belts, especially those on continents. Old, deeply eroded mountain chains have more metamorphic rocks exposed at the surface than do younger chains. Metamorphism occurs deeply within a mountain chain as it is formed by folding and compression.

What process associated with mountain and basin formation may accompany ocean continent convergence?

What processes associated with mountain and basin formation may accompany ocean-continent convergence? … Different ages of terranes may be accreted onto continents and newer-aged sedimentary rocks or volcanic rocks are deposited on top of older rocks.

What forms oceanic basins?

All ocean basins are formed from plate tectonic activity, weathering, and erosion. Seafloor spreading and subduction are the primary forms of plate tectonic activity that provide a pathway for molten rock to leave the earth's mantle and create a new oceanic crust.

Why are most oceanic trenches found in the Pacific Ocean?

Ocean trenches are found in every ocean basin on the planet, although the deepest ocean trenches ring the Pacific as part of the so-called “Ring of Fire” that also includes active volcanoes and earthquake zones. Ocean trenches are a result of tectonic activity, which describes the movement of the Earth's lithosphere.

What happens to oceanic plateaus?

The thick crustal sections of oceanic plateaus are difficult to subduct. As a result the upper crustal portions of oceanic plateaus are frequently accreted to continental margins and so have been an important contributor to crustal growth throughout Earth's history.

How are oceanic plateaus formed?

A widely accepted explanation is that oceanic plateaus are built by massive eruptions from the head of nascent thermal mantle plumes that rise from deep in the mantle to the surface (e.g., Duncan and Richards, 1991).

Why is the seafloor elevation of the abyssal plain lower than that of the mid-ocean ridge?

Why does the elevation of the seafloor decrease from the mid-ocean ridge to the abyssal plain? The oceanic lithosphere cools and becomes denser.

What was one of the results from the data gathered during deep ocean drilling?

As for the purpose of the scientific exploration, one of the most important discoveries was made when the crew drilled 17 holes at 10 different locations along an oceanic ridge between South America and Africa. The retrieved core samples provided strong proof for continental drift and seafloor renewal at rift zones.

How did drilling samples show that seafloor spreading really has taken place Brainly?

They found that the farther away from the ridge the samples were taken, the older the rocks were. The youngest rocks were always in the center of the ridges. This showed that sea- floor spreading really has taken place.

What do you think happened to the oceanic crust that is pushed down at the trench?

As it moves down into the subduction zone, our crust is pushed down under another plate. It bends down and starts to sink into the mantle – the older the crust, the steeper the angle. Some of the sedimentary cover is scraped off, to form an accretionary wedge above the plate.

What do you call the process that forms and moves new oceanic crust?

Seafloor spreading or Seafloor spread 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.

Do volcanoes form mountains?

Volcanic mountains form when molten rock from deep inside the Earth erupts through the crust and piles up on itself. The islands of Hawaii were formed by undersea volcanoes, and the islands seen above water today are the remaining volcano tops. Well-known volcanoes on land include Mount St.

Which type of mountain forms because of an oceanic plate and a continental plate colliding?

A collisional mountain range forms as an entire ocean closes and blocks of thick continental crust collide.

What happens when a continental crust collides with an oceanic crust?

When an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate, the oceanic crust will always subduct under the continental crust; this is because oceanic crust is naturally denser. Convergent boundaries are commonly associated with larger earthquakes and higher volcanic activity.

How can oceanic sediments become part of continental mountains?

How can oceanic sediments become part of continental mountains? Oceanic sediments fill the area between a trench and the coast when an oceanic and continental plate converge. The sediments become shoved against the edge of continent and form highly folded rocks that can be uplifted to form mountains.

Which of the following features would you find in an ocean basin?

1 Answer. Ocean ridges, deep-sea trenches, abyssal hills, fracture zones, seamounts, and guyots are some of the major features of an ocean basin.

What do all ocean basins have?

The basins of Earth's four ocean basins, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic, differ from each other in many respects. Yet, they all contain certain common features such as oceanic ridges, trenches, and fracture zones and cracks, abyssal plains and hills, seamounts and guyots.

How do oceanic trenches form?

In particular, ocean trenches are a feature of convergent plate boundaries, where two or more tectonic plates meet. At many convergent plate boundaries, dense lithosphere melts or slides beneath less-dense lithosphere in a process called subduction, creating a trench.

Where are ocean trenches found?

Trenches are found on the floor of the sea; however, their common name is deep ocean trenches because they are more often found in the deepest areas of the ocean. Trenches are formed in subduction zones where tectonic plates collide.

How does a oceanic plateau form?

A widely accepted explanation is that oceanic plateaus are built by massive eruptions from the head of nascent thermal mantle plumes that rise from deep in the mantle to the surface (e.g., Duncan and Richards, 1991).

What do you expect to find at mid-ocean ridge?

Formation of Mid-Ocean Ridges Because mid-ocean ridges are places where tectonic plates are pulling apart, you might expect to find an incredibly deep canyon, but that's not exactly the case. As the tectonic plates pull apart, molten rock, or magma, comes up from below to fill in the gaps.

What discoveries were made by ocean drilling?

Major Scientific Accomplishments Scientific ocean drilling has advanced understanding of solid Earth cycles, revealed the flow of fluid and microbe ecosystems within the seafloor, and gathered extensive information on Earth's climate history.