Final answer:
The discovery of seafloor spreading revealed that continents have been moving due to tectonic activity, supporting Wegener's theory of continental drift and introducing the concept of plate tectonics. Measurements of spreading rates and the renewing process of oceanic crust further highlight the dynamic nature of Earth's geology.
Step-by-step explanation:
One remarkable realization associated with the discovery of seafloor spreading was that the continents were not stationary, but have been moving due to the tectonic activity. This movement of continents is supported by evidence such as the fitting together of South America and Africa, similar fossils across oceans, matching mountain ranges, and paleoclimatic evidence indicating different past positions for continents relative to the poles and equator.
The concept of seafloor spreading also leads to the understanding that oceanic crust is renewed continually, with an estimated renewal occurring every 100 million years, which is relatively short in geological time. Additionally, the discovery of seafloor spreading supported the theory of plate tectonics, serving as a mechanism for Wegener's earlier idea of continental drift.
The determination of seafloor spreading rates, such as measuring the distance between continents or analyzing the ages of the seafloor, further substantiates the dynamic nature of Earth's surface. It has been observed that different spreading ridges spread at varying rates; for example, by comparing the ages of the seafloor in the mid-Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, one can conclude which ridge is spreading faster.