Final answer:
The theory of plate tectonics is supported by various lines of evidence such as continental fit, fossil record, and mid-ocean ridges. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is where the Eurasian and African plates are pushed away from the North and South American Plates. Subduction is the process where rocks are carried back into the mantle of the Earth, which occurs at convergent plate boundaries. Permanent magnetization of iron can be caused by the Earth's magnetic field, and subduction of the ocean floor occurs at convergent boundaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of plate tectonics is supported by several lines of evidence. One important piece of evidence is the matching of coastlines on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, known as continental fit. Another evidence is the discovery of fossils of the same species on separate continents, indicating that those continents were once connected. Additionally, the discovery of mid-ocean ridges and the pattern of earthquakes and volcanic activity along these ridges provides further support for the theory.
The Eurasian and African plates are pushed away from the North and South American Plates at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent plate boundary where new oceanic crust is formed.
Subduction is the process where rocks are carried back into the mantle of the Earth. This occurs at convergent plate boundaries where one plate is forced beneath another.
Permanent magnetization occurs when a material, such as iron, becomes permanently magnetized by aligning its magnetic domains in the presence of a strong magnetic field. In the case of Earth, the magnetic field causes some iron-bearing minerals, like magnetite, to retain their magnetism over geologic timescales.
Subduction of the ocean floor occurs in convergent boundaries. This is where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, usually resulting in the formation of a trench and volcanic activity.
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