ridge push

geology

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July 16, 2026

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Ridge push is a geological force that contributes to the movement of tectonic plates. It occurs at mid-ocean ridges, which are elevated areas on the ocean floor where new crust is formed. Because these ridges are higher than the surrounding ocean floor, gravity causes the newly formed, denser rocks to slide away from the ridge. This gravitational pull, or push, helps to propel the tectonic plates across the Earth's surface. This process is one of the debated mechanisms thought to drive plate tectonics, alongside convection currents in the mantle and slab pull.12

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plate tectonics
Mantle convection
…(the Mid-Atlantic Ridge), known as ridge push, in the Atlantic Ocean. This push is caused by gravitational force, and it exists because the ridge occurs at a higher elevation than the rest of the ocean floor. As rocks near the ridge cool, they become denser, and gravity pulls them away…
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…(the Mid-Atlantic Ridge), known as ridge push, in the Atlantic Ocean. This push is caused by gravitational force, and it exists because the ridge occurs at a higher elevation than the rest of the ocean floor. As rocks near the ridge cool, they become denser, and gravity pulls them away…
Read More