Question

how do magnetic stripes of iron in ocean rock provide evidence of seafloor spreading?
○ they show when earths poles reversed.
○ they show how the density of the seafloor has changed.
○ they reveal a matching pattern on either side of the ridge.
○ they reveal differences in the mineral composition of newly created rock.

Explanation:

Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new rock forms and spreads outward. Iron-rich minerals in the rock align with Earth's magnetic field as they cool. These magnetic stripes form identical, mirror-image patterns on both sides of the ridge, proving the seafloor has spread outward from the ridge over time. While magnetic reversals are related, the matching pattern directly demonstrates the spreading motion.

Answer:

C. They reveal a matching pattern on either side of the ridge.