Continental drift occurs because of.?

Answer 1

This depends greatly on if you are referring to "Continental Drift" as a theory, or a concept. Continental Drift was a theory that was proposed to explain why continents on maps appeared to be together at one time. However Continental Drift really lacked a driving mechanism. (or a reason that it occured) At the time it was proposed, the driving mechanism was assumed to be centrifigal force caused from the earths rotation. (This would be like the tendancy for your arms to fly outward when you spin around real fast) The concept of continental drift led the way to what we now know about Plate Tectonics. Although the science behind it is still very new, we now have a better idea on the driving mechanism behind tectonics. One is gravity. When a plate is subducted, it is like putting the edge of a piece of paper in water. The paper becomes saturated and is pulled downward into the water, and new "paper" is created where the crust is spreading apart. Another driving force is friction caused by convection cells in the earth's interior. Like a pot of boiling water, convection cells drive the surface of the water, just like convection cells in the interior can help drive the crust.

Answer 2

The cause of continental drift is force that is caused by magma upwelling at the midocean ridge. The magma causes the seabed to spread. The seabed is just slightly more dense than the land mass and pushes land mass upward as the seabed subduction process proceeds at the boundry between land and sea. The land mass never subducts but it can and does melt which starts new rifts to develop. This last happened 300 million years ago and has been shaping the land mass into what we now have out of a single land mass that existed proir to that time.

Answer 3

likely long island Island is sinking contained in the approach the middle of Earth some millimeters in accordance to 12 months or will initiate up sinking with out delay. If shrink stages of the Empire State progression initiate up flooding in undesirable storms, techniques will be seen and a range made to implement a answer, or demolish the progression. likely different interior of sight houses and streets will somewhat have similar flooding themes. i replaced into shocked that in reality about all of cutting-edge Orleans replaced into rebuilt following the large flood many years contained in the previous because of a typhoon. likely New Orleans will flood decrease lower back, even worse, before 2050. Neil

Answer 4

Plate techtonics. The oceans are spreading because of the volcanic activity in the middle of the ocean.

Answer 5

shifing of the earth's underground & oceanic plates.

Answer 6

...the fact that the plates are floating upon oceans of molten lava...