Question

Identify the factors that cause magnetic strips to form along the ocean floor select the two correct answers

Answer 1

The formation of magnetic stripes along the ocean floor is primarily due to two key factors:

1. **Seafloor Spreading**: This process occurs at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates are moving apart. As magma rises to fill the gap, it cools and solidifies, crystallizing in alignment with Earth's magnetic field. This results in the formation of new oceanic crust that records the magnetic orientation at the time of its formation.

2. **Reversal of Earth's Magnetic Field**: The Earth's magnetic field has reversed many times throughout geological history. When new oceanic crust is formed, the iron-rich minerals within the magma align themselves with the prevailing magnetic field. When a magnetic reversal occurs, the newly solidified rock will exhibit a different magnetic orientation. This creates a pattern of alternating magnetic stripes on either side of the mid-ocean ridges, representing periods of normal and reversed magnetic orientations.

These factors together contribute to the symmetry and pattern of magnetic stripes observed on the ocean floor.