How did the breakup of Pangea form the Atlantic Ocean basin?

The formation of the Atlantic Ocean basin is explained by the theory of plate tectonics, which describes how the supercontinent Pangea began to fragment approximately 200 million years ago.12

The process occurred in distinct stages:

• Initial Rifting: About 180 million years ago, the central Atlantic Ocean began to form as North America separated from northwestern Africa. This was preceded by rift faulting and the flooding of basins with mantle-derived lavas.23
• South Atlantic Opening: Approximately 140 million years ago, the South Atlantic Ocean opened as Africa and South America drifted apart.2
• Continued Expansion: About 80 million years ago, further separation occurred as North America moved away from Europe.2

The basin continues to widen today through seafloor spreading at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Along this underwater mountain range, magma from the mantle wells up, cools, and pushes the seafloor outward, causing the continents to move apart at an average rate of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year. This ongoing movement confirms that the ocean basin is not a permanent feature but a dynamic result of Earth's shifting lithospheric plates.142