What is happening to the distance between Canada and europe
it is getting farther away....
Why is it drifting farther away
I answered this two days ago.
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1226621225
It has to do with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, nothing to do with global warming!
To determine what is happening to the distance between Canada and Europe, we need to understand that the distance between two points on Earth is not constant due to various factors. The distance between Canada and Europe is primarily determined by the movement of tectonic plates and continental drift.
Tectonic plates are the large sections of the Earth's crust that float on the semi-fluid mantle below them. These plates are constantly moving, albeit slowly, due to the convection currents in the mantle. The movement of these plates can result in the changing distance between continents over long periods of time.
Over millions of years, the Atlantic Ocean has been widening due to the divergence of the North American Plate (which includes Canada) and the Eurasian Plate (which includes Europe). This process is known as seafloor spreading. As the plates move apart, molten material rises to the surface, creating new oceanic crust and pushing the continents further away from each other.
However, it is important to note that the rate at which the distance between Canada and Europe is changing is extremely slow, measured in centimeters per year. In fact, it is estimated that Canada and Europe are currently moving apart at a rate of about 2 centimeters per year.
Therefore, if we look at it from a human perspective or a short-term time frame, the distance between Canada and Europe is virtually unchanged. However, over long enough timescales, millions of years, this slow movement of tectonic plates will result in significant changes in the distance between continents.