Question

The Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. However, the oldest sea floor is only about 180 million years old. What do you think is the reason for this? (Hint: Remember that new seafloor is constantly being created, but the Earth is not getting bigger with time.)

Answer 1

Answer:

The seafloor is only 180 million years old due to the process of subduction. The floor of the sea's tends to get colder and denser with the passage of time. At a certain time, the seafloor becomes so dense that it sinks in the upper mantle. The Earth's crust cannot undergo this process and hence has oldest rocks. We can say that the seafloor is less than 180 million years old because it is typically recycled back into the mantle of the Earth.