How fast is Atlantic expanding?
How fast is Atlantic expanding? Because of seafloor spreading and the movement of the ocean floor and of the continents outward from the ridge, the Atlantic Basin is widening at an estimated rate of 1 to 10 cm (0.5 to 4 inches) a year.
Is the Atlantic Ocean expanding or shrinking Why?
Atlantic Ocean growing by a few centimeters every year because of sea floor spreading. Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent plate boundaries as the tectonic plates slowly move away from each other.