The factors that caused magnetic strips to form along the ocean floor are:
1) Sea floor spreading: The process of sea floor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges where molten material rises up from the Earth's mantle and solidifies to form new oceanic crust. As the new crust is formed, it pushes the older crust away, creating a continuous movement of the ocean floor. As the oceanic crust cools and solidifies, it locks in the magnetic orientation of the Earth's magnetic field at that time. Over time, these magnetic orientations, which are aligned with the Earth's magnetic field, get recorded as magnetic strips on the ocean floor.
2) Reversals of the Earth's magnetic field: Over geological time, the Earth's magnetic field has gone through frequent reversals, meaning that the magnetic North and South poles switch places. These magnetic reversals are recorded in the rocks of the ocean floor. The newly formed oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges acquires the current magnetic orientation during its formation. However, when the Earth's magnetic field reverses, the newly formed crust records the reversed magnetic orientation. This results in the formation of alternating magnetic strips on the ocean floor, with each strip representing a specific polarity of the Earth's magnetic field.
Identify the factors that caused magnetic strips to form along the ocean floor select two correct answers
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