Here's why:
* Seafloor Spreading: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent plate boundary where new oceanic crust is created. Magma rises from the mantle and solidifies, forming new crust.
* Age Progression: As the plates move apart, the newly formed crust is pushed away from the ridge. The further away from the ridge, the older the crust.
* Dating the Ocean Floor: Scientists can determine the age of the ocean floor by analyzing magnetic stripes, which are patterns of magnetic reversals recorded in the rocks.
Therefore, the further you move away from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the older the rocks on the ocean floor will be. This is a fundamental principle of plate tectonics and provides strong evidence for the theory of seafloor spreading.
