The oldest seafloor near Natal Brazil in South America and Douala, Cameroon in West Africa is 135 Ma. They are separated by the Mid-Atlantic spreading center. Calculate an approximate spreading rate in km/Ma and cm/yr for the mid-ocean Atlantic ridge. If the plates are moving apart symmetrically at the same rate, then dividing your answer by two will provide the average rate at which the South American Plate is moving west, and the African Plate is moving east.

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals
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The oldest seafloor near Natal Brazil in South America and Douala, Cameroon in West Africa is 135 Ma. They are separated by the Mid-Atlantic spreading center. Calculate an approximate spreading rate in km/Ma and cm/yr for the mid-ocean Atlantic ridge. If the plates are moving apart symmetrically at the same rate, then dividing your answer by two will provide the average rate at which the South American Plate is moving west, and the African Plate is moving east.

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