Question

How old are the oldest rocks of the ocean floor?


approximately 500 million years old


approximately one billion years old


between 200 and 500 million years old


less than 200 million years old

Answer 1

The oldest rocks of the ocean floor are less than 200 million years old. This is due to the process of seafloor spreading and the continuous recycling of oceanic crust back into the mantle at subduction zones. The age of the oceanic crust is significantly younger compared to the continental crust.