Which of the following is implied by the fact that seafloor spreading at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is causing the Atlantic Ocean to widen by about 5 centimeters a year?

Correct answer: C. The continents of North America and Europe are moving apart.

  • A. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is thousands of miles long.
  • B. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the largest underwater structure in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • C. The continents of North America and Europe are moving apart.
  • D. The continents of North America and Europe are growing larger at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Explanation

The correct answer is C. The fact that seafloor spreading at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is causing the Atlantic Ocean to widen by about 5 centimeters a year implies that the continents of North America and Europe are moving apart. This is because the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent boundary where new crust is formed as tectonic plates move away from each other. As new crust is formed at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the ocean basin widens and the continents on either side are pushed farther apart.

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