- Where is the youngest crust on Earth most likely located?
A. At transform boundaries where two plates slide past each other
B. At convergent boundaries where two continents meet
C. At convergent boundaries where oceans and continents meet
D. At divergent boundaries in the middle of the ocean
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is D. At divergent boundaries in the middle of the ocean.
Explanation:
The Earth’s crust is constantly being formed and destroyed through the process of plate tectonics. The youngest crust on Earth is most likely located at divergent boundaries, specifically in the middle of the ocean, where new oceanic crust is created.
At divergent boundaries, tectonic plates move away from each other. As these plates separate, magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap, cooling and solidifying to form new crust. This process is most evident at mid-ocean ridges, such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs down the center of the Atlantic Ocean. These ridges are underwater mountain chains where new crust is continuously formed as the plates pull apart. The further from the ridge you go, the older the crust becomes, because it has been formed earlier and has had more time to move away from the ridge.
In contrast, transform boundaries, where plates slide past each other (option A), and convergent boundaries (options B and C), where plates collide or move towards each other, do not create new crust. At convergent boundaries, especially where oceanic crust meets continental crust (option C), the oceanic plate is usually subducted (forced under) the continental plate, leading to the destruction of crust rather than its creation. Similarly, at convergent boundaries where two continents meet (option B), crust is not formed but is often deformed, leading to the formation of mountain ranges like the Himalayas, which are older crusts.
Therefore, the youngest crust on Earth is most commonly found at divergent boundaries in the middle of the ocean, where the process of seafloor spreading is actively creating new material and pushing older material away from the ridge.