Reading Check
11. Explain What causes
ridge push? (Circle the
correct answer.)
a. a plate going into the
mantle
b. force on the bottom of
a plate
c. movement along a
mid-ocean ridge
106 Plate Tectonics

Ridge push occurs due to the elevated position of mid-ocean ridges, where the tectonic plates are being created. As magma rises and solidifies at these ridges, it creates new oceanic crust that sits higher than the surrounding, older crust. This difference in elevation causes the thicker and hotter material at the ridge to exert a gravitational force, pushing the tectonic plates away from the ridge and contributing to plate movement.

To visualize ridge push, imagine a water slide. When water builds up at the top, it creates a flow down the slide. Similarly, the hot, newly formed crust at the mid-ocean ridges is like the water, sliding down due to gravity, helping to drive tectonic plates apart and leading to various geological activities, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.