Which is the first step in the seafloor spreading process?

A crack forms in oceanic crust.
Volcanoes erupt under the ocean.
Molten rock rises up through the crust.
Dense plates are subducted under less dense plates.

1 answer

The first step in the seafloor spreading process is:

A crack forms in oceanic crust.

This cracking allows magma to rise and lead to the formation of new oceanic crust, which is a fundamental aspect of seafloor spreading.