How do hydrothermal vents work?

Question 1

What are hydrothermal vents?

Answer 1

They are features that are essentially chimneys that release white or black smoke

Question 2

What do sheeted dikes do?

Answer 2

Sheeted dikes form open cracks in between them. If there is enough ocean water above it, the water will penetrate into the cracks and will start to heat up. It then becomes buoyant and find another crack to come through back towards the ocean floor which is essentially what an ocean vent is.

Question 3

What happens first?

Answer 3

Cold sea water seeps into cracks, heats up and reacts chemically with the basalt rocks

Question 4

What happens second?

Answer 4

Hot water then rises, carrying dissolved metals and hydrogen sulphide which are then transported back up again onto the ocean floor

Question 5

What happens third?

Answer 5

Metal sulphides precipitates in the cracks between the dykes (white smokers) or on the ridge surface (black smokers) which is the coating on top of the rocks

Question 6

What cements dykes together?

Answer 6

Metal can precipitate in the cracks and essentially cement the dykes together.