3.9k views
1 vote
Paleomagnetism is the study of the ____________________ magnetism in rocks. When magma cools, the magnetic iron-bearing minerals align themselves with the Earth's magnetic field and record ____________________ and ____________________.

User Ugo
by
6.5k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

Paleomagnetism studies the magnetic properties in rocks to understand Earth's past magnetic field directions and intensities, which help in determining the depositional age of sediments.

Step-by-step explanation:

Paleomagnetism is the study of the recorded magnetism in rocks. When magma cools, the magnetic iron-bearing minerals align themselves with the Earth's magnetic field and record direction and intensity. Geologists can analyze the magnetic properties of sediment cores for magnetostratigraphy, which is used to help determine the age of sediment deposition. This is possible because magnetic minerals in igneous rocks crystallize in alignment with Earth's magnetic field, and even sediments can align themselves as they are deposited. Therefore, the paleomagnetic properties in these sediments can be compared to known changes in Earth's magnetic field and then used to determine the sediment's depositional age.

User Hashbytes
by
6.6k points
3 votes

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Paleomagnetism is the study of the __record of earth's__ magnetism in rocks. When magma cools, the magnetic iron-bearing minerals align themselves with the Earth's magnetic field and record__the direction__ and ___intensity__.

Paleomagnetism is branch of geophysics which studies the record of earth's history of magnetism over its history.

Iron bearing minerals such as haematite that accompanies magma formation can be magnetized as they cool to form igneous rocks. This magnetization would record the current direction of the magnetic field and its intensity. When the magma finally cools and solidifies, the record is arrested and preserved in the rock.

User Adib
by
6.7k points