Final answer:
The formation of oceans, specifically the Atlantic Ocean, was a result of the supercontinent Pangaea splitting apart due to continental drift and rifting processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the supercontinent Pangaea first started to split apart, it led to the formation of oceans. Specifically, the breakup resulted in the creation of the Atlantic Ocean due to a process known as continental drift. As the continents moved apart, oceanic plates were pushed up from beneath the Earth's crust at divergent plate boundaries, creating new oceanic crust and filling the expanding gap with seawater.
Another aspect of the separation of Pangaea was continental rifting, whereby a continental mass splits and newly formed landmasses drift apart. For instance, the Recôncavo basin in Brazil showcases the different stages of continental rifting between South America and Africa. This process is fundamental in shaping not only oceans but also continents, as existing landmasses remodel and new ones form.