The depth increase rate from a mid-ocean ridge initially rises but declines over distance, reflecting oceanic crust cooling and sinking. Seafloor age comparison and continental drift rates, such as the 5 meter per century separation of Europe and North America, provide insights into spreading rates and new seafloor creation.
The rate at which depth increases with distance from the ridge such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge tends to show a hump-shaped pattern where it first increases as you move away from the ridge axis and then declines. This pattern occurs because as the oceanic crust moves away from the ridge, it cools and becomes more dense, causing it to sink gradually and increase the depth of the ocean floor.
However, the rate at which this occurs is not constant over time. It can be influenced by multiple geophysical factors including the temperature of the Earth's mantle, rate of plate movement, and crustal thickness.
For example, the age of the seafloor can indicate the rate of spreading at the mid-ocean ridges. By comparing seafloor ages between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, we can deduce that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is spreading slower than some Pacific ridges like the East Pacific Rise. Sea-level changes revealed through fossil records can also provide information about the historical rates of oceanic crust formation and the spreading rates of ocean ridges.
Additionally, as Europe and North America are moving apart by approximately 5 meters per century, the total area of the new ocean floor created in one century along a 5000 km long rift would be 25 square kilometers.
--The given question is incomplete, the complete question is
"does the rate at which depth increases with distance from the ridge stay the same over time, decrease over time, or increase over time? example the Mid Atlantic Ridge."--