Book 12, Question 52
Why Is There a Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
Deep under the Atlantic Ocean, two plates are slowly pulling apart! Hot rock rises into the gap, cools, and turns into brand new seafloor. That long, bumpy seam is called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
More fun facts
- The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs down the center of the Atlantic Ocean.
- It spreads apart about 2 to 5 centimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) a year.
- Mid-ocean ridges form where plates spread apart and new ocean floor is made.
- The mid-ocean ridge system is the longest mountain chain on Earth, nearly 65,000 kilometers (40,390 miles).
- More than 90 percent of the mid-ocean ridge system is under the sea.
- Scientists explore the ridge to study deep sea corals and sponges.
Sources: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ocean Exploration
Questions kids ask
Is the Atlantic Ocean getting wider?
Yes. The ridge spreads a few centimeters each year.