Final answer:The magnetic patterns found on the ocean floor were puzzling because they showed alternating bands of normal and reversed polarity, contradicting the prevailing theory of plate tectonics.Explanation:**The magnetic patterns found on the ocean floor were puzzling because they showed alternating bands of normal and reversed polarity.**This discovery was unexpected because it contradicted the prevailing theory of plate tectonics, which suggested that the Earth's magnetic field would produce a more uniform pattern of magnetic orientation. The presence of alternating bands of normal and reversed polarity indicated that the Earth's magnetic field had undergone regular reversals in the past.These magnetic patterns were discovered by scientists who were studying the ocean floor using magnetometers. By mapping the magnetic field of the ocean floor, they found that the magnetic anomalies aligned with the volcanic ridges and discovered that the oceanic crust was spreading apart along these ridges.Learn more about magnetic patterns on the ocean floor here:brainly.com/question/14274808...

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