Which boundary type involves the creation of new oceanic crust as plates move apart?

Which boundary type involves the creation of new oceanic crust as plates move apart?

• A. Divergent boundary
• B. Convergent boundary
• C. Transform boundary
• D. Hotspot volcanism

Answer: (A)

When plates move apart, magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap and solidifies at the seafloor, creating new oceanic crust. This process, seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges, is the hallmark of a divergent boundary. As the plates continue to separate, fresh crust forms and moves away from the ridge, while older crust lies farther from the boundary. In contrast, convergent boundaries recycle crust through subduction, transform boundaries slide past without creating new crust, and hotspot volcanism occurs away from plate edges. So the boundary that builds new oceanic crust as plates separate is the divergent boundary.

When plates move apart, magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap and solidifies at the seafloor, creating new oceanic crust. This process, seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges, is the hallmark of a divergent boundary. As the plates continue to separate, fresh crust forms and moves away from the ridge, while older crust lies farther from the boundary. In contrast, convergent boundaries recycle crust through subduction, transform boundaries slide past without creating new crust, and hotspot volcanism occurs away from plate edges. So the boundary that builds new oceanic crust as plates separate is the divergent boundary.