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QuizMultiple Choice

Characteristics of the Seafloor

Question 1 • RMA FL-2001310-Earth/Space Science Semester 2

How do magnetic stripes of iron in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading?

Answer
A
They show when Earth's poles reversed.
B
They show how the density of the seafloor has changed.
C
They reveal a matching pattern on either side of the ridge.
D
They reveal differences in the mineral composition of newly created rock.

Explanation

As lava cools into ocean rock, iron-bearing minerals align with Earth’s magnetic field and preserve its direction. Because Earth’s magnetic poles have reversed over time, the rocks form alternating magnetic stripes. The matching, mirror-image stripe pattern on both sides of a mid-ocean ridge shows that new seafloor forms at the ridge and spreads outward, so C is correct.

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