Question

Imagine that you could dive deep into the Atlantic Ocean where the South American Plate and African Plate meet at a plate boundary.
Make a prediction: What do you think you would see at the plate boundary? Would you see the mantle? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Answer:

If I would dive at the edge of American Plate and African Plate, I would be able to see the Mid-Atlantic-Ridge. Mid-Atlantic-Ridge is an undewater mountain range in the atlantic ocean. Here, the sea floor is spreading at a rate of 2.5 cm/year in an east-west direction, i.e. divergent plate boundary. If I could dive, I would expect several volcanic islands that run the length of the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, I would also be able see the mantle for active volcanic processes.

PS: The formation of Iceland is believed to be a product of Mid-Atlantic-Ridge.