Question

How does magnetism support the Theory of the Continental Drift?
@kl0723 @AlexandervonHumboldt2

Answer 1

please help!

Answer 2

magnetic fields In 1906, while studying the paleomagnetism of ancient rock, Bernard Brunhes made a fascinating discovery. In a series of rock Bernard noticed that some layers had minerals in which the remnant magnetism was the exact opposite orientation as todays magnetic field. From this he concluded that the Earth's magnetic field has reversed from time to time. In other words, what was magnetic north becomes magnetic south and what was magnetic south becomes magnetic north. The magnetic field as we know it today is considered normal polarity. Although the discovery that the Earth's magnetic field has reversed several times in the past seems enormous it true significance in history of continental drift will not be realized for more than 50 years.

Depiction of rock layers showing normal and reversed polarityIn the early 1950s Patrick Blankett thought he could use paleomagnetism to finally prove the theory of Continental Drift. All he would have to do is gather paleomagnetic data from rocks of known ages and he could show how the continents did indeed move across the earth. His data was perfect. It showed that over the course of 200 million years Brittain rotated through roughly 30 degrees of longitude at the same time it drifted north.

It seemed as if the data was finally found until another british scientist (S. Keith Runcorn) determined that Blankett's data did not prove continental drift. Instead of plotting the movement of the continent, like Blankett, Runcorn plotted the movementof the pole over time. This plot became known as a Polar Wandering curve and it would seem to have placed Blankett's proof on the same shelf as all other evidence for continental drift.

Answer 3

can you explain it in your own words please? :)

Answer 4

sure

Answer 5

thx :)

Answer 6

balstic magma erupted at the rdge and the magnete iin it lines up with th eearth magnetic field

Answer 7

Basaltic magma is erupted at the ridge and the magnetite in it lines up with the Earth's magnetic field. The plates move apart and more material is erupted and intruded and adopts the magnetic field. Every now and then (the last time was 0.78 million years ago) the Earth's magnetic field reverses

Answer 8

i used https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090701115426AAe75RQ they are correct

Answer 9

i dont understand

Answer 10

the magnetic field changed

Answer 11

@kl0723

Answer 12

can you please help! @kl0723
and in your own words please :)

Answer 13

can you just explain in your words .... How does magnetism support the Theory of the Continental Drift?
please ! thx :)

Answer 14

ok ok, the theory of paleomagnetism I believe, basically it is that when the continents separated the plates moved and the gap released magma which magnetized the materials/rocks that later formed and they're supposed to have a certain level of magnetism that aligns with the magnetic field of earth, this rocks were found to be different in magnetism according to their position on earth and are said to have been formed from the continetal drift because of that.

Answer 15

so it supports continetal drift because: the rocks's magnetism doesn't quite align with the earth's magnetic field accodring to their position on the planet. ;)

Answer 16

thank you so much ! :)