Frederick Vine and Drummond Matthews determined that new ocean floor was being produced at ocean ridges by examining:
A)apparent polar wandering.
B)fossils in marine sediments.
C)glacial debris at various locations.
D)the location of ancient coral reefs.
E)the magnetic pattern of rocks on the seafloor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Frederick Vine and Drummond Matthews determined that new ocean floor was being produced at ocean ridges by examining the magnetic pattern of rocks on the seafloor. They discovered that the rocks on either side of mid-ocean ridges had opposite magnetic polarities, indicating that new rock was being formed at the ridge and pushing the old rock away. This discovery helped to confirm the theory of plate tectonics.

Frederick Vine and Drummond Matthews Determined That New Ocean Floor