Final answer:
Oceanic crust is generally younger than continental crust due to the process of seafloor spreading, where new crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and old crust is subducted. The oldest seafloor, found in the western Pacific, is still significantly younger than the ancient rocks of the continental crust.
Step-by-step explanation:
Generally, the age of oceanic crust is younger than continental crust. This is because oceanic crust is constantly being renewed at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates are diverging, with new crust forming and old crust being pushed away.
The world's oceanic crust is renewed in a little more than 100 million years due to spreading at mid-ocean ridges. The oldest parts of the oceanic crust are found near the edges of tectonic plates, farthest from the mid-ocean ridges where they were originally created. In contrast, continental crust is much older, comprising rocks that can be billions of years old. This discrepancy exists because the continental crust is not subject to the same renewal process as oceanic crust and therefore does not recycle back into the mantle as readily.
From the data provided, we understand that the oldest seafloor is situated in the western Pacific and is approximately 180 million years old, while the oldest continental rocks are significantly older. The process of seafloor spreading and subduction results in oceanic crust being recycled back into the mantle, which maintains its younger age relative to the continental crust.