a geologist measures the amount of seafloor produced along a mor (mid-oceanic-ridge) to be 45 km. the oldest crust produced is 4.5 ma. what is the spreading rate of the mor in cm/yr. (use the rate equation)

Respuesta :

The rate of sea floor spreading of Mid Oceanic Ridge is 1 cm per year.

Spreading rates determine if the ridge is fast, intermediate, or slow. 1Ma is the acronym for Million annum, which represents the time period of a million years. A mid-ocean ridge (MOR) is a seafloor mountain system formed by plate tectonics. It occurs along the divergent plate boundaries, where new floor formation takes place due to the movement of tectonic plates away from each other. The rate of spreading can be equated from the equation given below:

Rate of Spreading of seafloor = [distance the sea floor moved] / [duration of time taken]

R = D/T                                                      ...(1)

Distance seafloor moved = D = 45km = 4,500,000 cm

Time taken for spreading = T = 4.5Ma = 4.5 * 1,000,000 years

Putting the value of D and T in equation (1).

R = 4,500,000 / (4.5 * 1,000,000) = 1 cm/year

Learn more about Mid oceanic ridge at:

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