Ontario Grade 9 Geography Practice Exam 2026 - Free Geography Practice Questions and Study Guide

Mid-ocean ridges are significant geological features that form where two tectonic plates are diverging, or moving away from each other. This process occurs in the ocean basins and is primarily driven by the upwelling of magma from the mantle, which creates new oceanic crust as it cools and solidifies. As the plates separate, they create a gap that allows magma to rise, which leads to volcanic activity and the formation of underwater mountain ranges, characteristic of mid-ocean ridges.

This feature plays a crucial role in the theory of plate tectonics, illustrating how the Earth's crust is constantly reshaping itself. While the volcanic activity associated with this divergence does lead to the formation of mountains, the defining characteristic of mid-ocean ridges is the divergence of the tectonic plates themselves. This movement can also trigger seismic activity, highlighting the dynamic nature of our planet's crust in those regions.