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  • Ocean Ridge Geology: Locating the Youngest Rocks
    The youngest rocks at an ocean ridge are found at the ridge crest.

    Here's why:

    * Seafloor Spreading: Ocean ridges are where new oceanic crust is created. The process of seafloor spreading involves magma rising from the mantle, cooling, and solidifying to form new crust. This happens continuously at the ridge crest.

    * Movement Away from the Ridge: As new crust forms, it is pushed away from the ridge axis by the continuous upwelling of magma. This means the farther you move away from the ridge crest, the older the rocks become.

    So, the rocks directly at the ridge crest are the newest, while the oldest oceanic crust is found farthest away from the ridge.

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