At any divergent plate margin: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge The boundary between the African Plate and Arabian Plate (the Red Sea) Great Rift Valley West Antarctic Rift East Pacific Rise Pacific-Antarctic Ridge Galapagos Rise Gakkel Ridge
Chat with our AI personalities
Active seafloor spreading is occurring today primarily in the mid-ocean ridges, such as the East Pacific Rise, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the Southwest Indian Ridge. These areas have volcanic activity and tectonic plates moving away from each other, creating new oceanic crust.
The Atlantic Ocean was created by the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. As Pangaea began to separate into the continents we know today, the Atlantic Ocean formed in between them through the process of seafloor spreading.
Scientists explain the arrangement of continents today through the theory of plate tectonics. This theory states that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into several large plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath. Movements of these plates through processes like seafloor spreading, subduction, and continental drift have shaped the current arrangement of continents.
Europe and North America are further apart today due to the process of seafloor spreading. This occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed as tectonic plates move away from each other. Over millions of years, this continual spreading has pushed Europe and North America farther apart.
Rifting: Pangaea began to break up around 200 million years ago as the supercontinent started to split, forming rift valleys. Seafloor spreading: The diverted continents continued to move apart, with new oceanic crust forming between them. Drift and separation: Over millions of years, the separated landmasses drifted to their current positions, forming the continents we see today.
An underwater mountain chain formed where new crust is created by seafloor spreading is called a mid-ocean ridge. It is characterized by volcanic activity and the creation of new oceanic crust as tectonic plates move apart.