Which boundary involves sea-floor spreading and mid-ocean ridges?

Which boundary involves sea-floor spreading and mid-ocean ridges?

• A. Transform Boundaries
• B. Convergent Boundaries
• C. Divergent Boundaries
• D. Subduction Zones

Answer: (C)

Sea-floor spreading happens where tectonic plates move apart at divergent boundaries. When the plates pull away, mantle material rises to fill the gap and cools to form new oceanic crust. This creation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges pushes older crust away, causing the sea floor to spread outward. Mid-ocean ridges are the underwater mountain ranges that mark these divergent boundaries and record ongoing crust formation. By contrast, transform boundaries involve sliding past one another with little to no new crust created, while convergent boundaries feature plates colliding, often leading to subduction or mountain building rather than spreading.

Sea-floor spreading happens where tectonic plates move apart at divergent boundaries. When the plates pull away, mantle material rises to fill the gap and cools to form new oceanic crust. This creation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges pushes older crust away, causing the sea floor to spread outward. Mid-ocean ridges are the underwater mountain ranges that mark these divergent boundaries and record ongoing crust formation. By contrast, transform boundaries involve sliding past one another with little to no new crust created, while convergent boundaries feature plates colliding, often leading to subduction or mountain building rather than spreading.