Which statement describes the creation and destruction of ocean rock as they undergo seafloor spreading?

1 answer

Seafloor spreading is a geological process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic plates diverge, causing magma from the mantle to rise and solidify to form new oceanic crust, or ocean rock. As new rock is created at these ridges, older oceanic crust is pushed further away from the ridge and can eventually be destroyed at subduction zones. In these zones, one tectonic plate is forced beneath another and into the mantle, where the oceanic rock is melted and recycled. Therefore, the process of seafloor spreading illustrates a continuous cycle of creation and destruction of ocean rock: new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges while older crust is destroyed at subduction zones, maintaining a balance in the overall volume of oceanic plates.