The oldest rocks on the ocean floors are about ________ years in age because time needed to complete the tectonic cycle is more than _______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The oldest rocks on the ocean floors are about 200 million years old. This is because the process of plate tectonics recycles the oceanic crust back into the mantle through subduction zones, a cycle that takes more than 200 million years to complete. This is significantly younger than the age of the oldest continental rocks, which can be up to 4 billion years old.

The Oldest Rocks on the Ocean Floors Are About ________