What can scientists learn from magnetic striping patterns? Select the three correct answers.(2 points)
Responses
a the speed of one plate as it subducts below another plate
b the cause of magnetic pole reversals
c the exact location of the next earthquake along the California coast
d the direction plates are moving relative to each other
e the year the next magnetic reversal will take place
f the location of ancient faults caused by seismic activity.
The correct answers that scientists can learn from magnetic striping patterns are:
a the speed of one plate as it subducts below another plate
d the direction plates are moving relative to each other
f the location of ancient faults caused by seismic activity.
Magnetic striping patterns on the ocean floor are a result of the process of seafloor spreading, where new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges and then moves away from the ridge, carrying with it the magnetic signature of Earth's magnetic field at the time of its formation. These patterns show symmetrical stripes on each side of the mid-ocean ridge, which indicate periods of normal and reversed magnetic polarity, reflecting the history of Earth's magnetic field reversals.
As new crust forms and solidifies, its iron-rich minerals align with the current magnetic field. When the Earth's magnetic field reverses, these minerals record the change, creating a "stripe" with reversed polarity next to one with normal polarity. By analyzing these patterns, scientists can estimate the rate at which the seafloor spreads and thus the speed of the tectonic plates as they move away from the ridge.
Although magnetic striping helps indicate the direction in which plates are moving, it does not provide a mechanism for the cause of magnetic pole reversals (response b), the exact location of future earthquakes (response c), or when the next magnetic reversal will occur (response e).