What term describes the process where new oceanic crust is created as tectonic plates move apart?

The process of creating new oceanic crust as tectonic plates move apart is known as sea floor spreading. This phenomenon occurs primarily at mid-ocean ridges, which are underwater mountain ranges formed by the divergent movement of tectonic plates. As these plates separate, magma from the mantle rises to fill the gap, solidifying into new crust as it cools. This ongoing activity contributes to the renewal of oceanic crust and plays a critical role in the overall movement and recycling of Earth's lithosphere.

In contrast, plate tectonics is a broader concept that encompasses the movement of the Earth's plates, including both divergent and convergent boundaries but does not specifically refer to the creation of new crust. Oceanic convergence describes the process where one tectonic plate is pushed under another, leading to subduction and often resulting in the recycling of crust, rather than its creation. Transform fault motion pertains to the horizontal sliding of plates past one another, which does not create new crust but can lead to earthquakes along fault lines. Thus, sea floor spreading distinctly describes the process of new oceanic crust formation at divergent plate boundaries.