The rate of seafloor spreading exactly matches the rate of ________.
A)ocean subsidence
B)transgression
C)subduction
D)erosion of the seafloor

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Seafloor spreading is the process of new oceanic crust being formed at mid-ocean ridges and then spreading away from the ridge axis. This process occurs as a result of divergence between tectonic plates. However, the plates are also consumed at subduction zones where one plate is forced underneath another. Therefore, the rate of seafloor spreading exactly matches the rate of subduction, as the creation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges is balanced by the destruction of old crust at subduction zones.

The Rate of Seafloor Spreading Exactly Matches the Rate of ________