What is a difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?
Continental crust is typically 40 km (25 miles) thick, while oceanic crust is much thinner, averaging about 6 km (4 miles) in thickness. The effect of the different densities of lithospheric rock can be seen in the different average elevations of continental and oceanic crust.
How is continental crust different from oceanic crust quizlet?
Continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust; continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust; the oldest continental crust is older than the oldest oceanic crust; plus the continental crust is composed of a variety of rock types, whereas oceanic crust is composed of basalt and gabbro.
What is the main difference between continental and oceanic plates?
Continental plates have a lower density than Oceanic plates. Granite and recycled materials are much thinner than the ocean plates' thick basalt layers. Oceanic plates occupy about 71% of the Earth's surface. Continental plates make up 29% of the Earth's surface.
Why do continental and oceanic crust act differently?
Continents do something different from oceanic crust. If you know Earth's density, they are too buoyant to sink compared to the heavier mantle rocks underneath. This is why continental crust floats on the surface of the mantle.
What is the difference between oceanic crust and continental crust Why do we care about what type of crust covers a tectonic plate?
What is the difference between Oceanic and Continental Crust? Oceanic crust is dominated by mafic and ultramafic intrusive igneous rocks whereas continental rocks are dominated by granitic (felsic) intrusive igneous rocks.
What makes continental plates different from oceanic plates quizlet?
Oceanic plates are mainly found at destrictive plate margins because the oceanic plate subducts (goes under) the continental plate. Continental plates are where there is tectonic plate that are lighter than oceanic tectonic plate(s).
What makes continental plates different than oceanic plates quizlet?
Oceanic and Continental crusts are alike because they both shift and move and grow. They differ by there rock types. Oceanic crust is made up of dense basalt while continental crust is made up of less dense granite. You just studied 2 terms!
Why continental and oceanic crusts differ in their density?
Because continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust it floats higher on the mantle, just like a piece of Styrofoam floats higher on water than a piece of wood does. The mantle, oceanic crust and continental crust have different densities because they are made of different kinds of rock with different densities.
Why oceanic crust is thinner compared to continental?
It is thinner and denser than continental crust, which is made of light-colored rocks called andesite and granite. The low density of continental crust causes it to “float” high atop the viscous mantle, forming dry land. Conversely, dense oceanic crust does not “float” as high—forming lower-lying ocean basins.
What is a continental crust?
The continental crust is the layer of granitic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks which form the continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores, known as continental shelves.
What forms when an oceanic and continental crust converge?
1. The convergence between oceanic and continental crust in a subduction zone produces a volcanic arc on the continental plate.
What is the difference between continental crust and oceanic crust in regards to their thicknesses and densities quizlet?
Oceanic crust is thinner and more dense. Continental crust is thicker and less dense. Difference in density is why oceanic crust subducts underneath continental crust.
How are continental crust and oceanic crust alike?
Both oceanic crust and continental crust are found in the outer layer of the Earth. They are also both involved in the process of subduction, wherein they both collide and cause the oceanic crust to sink below the continental crust.
In what ways are the two types of crust different?
Earth's crust is generally divided into older, thicker continental crust and younger, denser oceanic crust. The dynamic geology of Earth's crust is informed by plate tectonics. “Crust” describes the outermost shell of a terrestrial planet.
What are three differences between oceanic and continental crust?
Difference Between Oceanic and Continental Crust The oceanic crust is mainly made out of dark basalt rocks that are rich in minerals and substances like silicon and magnesium. By contrast, the continental crust is made up of light-colored granite rocks full of substances like oxygen and silicon.
What is the oceanic crust?
oceanic crust, the outermost layer of Earth's lithosphere that is found under the oceans and formed at spreading centres on oceanic ridges, which occur at divergent plate boundaries. Oceanic crust is about 6 km (4 miles) thick. It is composed of several layers, not including the overlying sediment.
Why is continental crust thicker than oceanic?
The continental crust is continental crust because of its density, not the other way around. The most dense is the material, the deepest it goes. The continental crust is made up of lighter granitic rock, while deep-sea drilling reveals that the oceanic crust is basaltic in composition.
What is the major difference between oceanic continental convergence and oceanic oceanic convergence?
Continental plates are much thicker that Oceanic plates. At the convergent boundaries the continental plates are pushed upward and gain thickness. The rocks and geological layers are much older on continental plates than in the oceanic plates. The Continental plates are much less dense than the Oceanic plates.
When an oceanic and a continental plate meet what is formed?
Ocean-Continent Convergence. When oceanic crust converges with continental crust, the denser oceanic plate plunges beneath the continental plate. This process, called subduction, occurs at the oceanic trenches. The entire region is known as a subduction zone.
What is the difference between continental crust and oceanic crust in regards to their thicknesses and densities?
Continental crust is low in density whereas oceanic crust has a higher density. Continental crust is thicker on the contrary the oceanic crust is thinner. Continental crust floats on magma freely but oceanic crust floats on magma scarcely.
Which is caused by the difference in density of oceanic and continental plates?
This difference between the density of the two crusts is essential to the movement of plates because it allows subduction to take place. Subduction is a process that is caused when the oceanic crust or sea floor to bend downward then it sinks back into the mantle due to the movement of tectonic plates.
Why continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust?
Continental crust is less dense because of its composition. Continental crust is made up of felsic material (SiO4)– mainly granite. The density of continental crust is 2.9 g/cm^3. Oceanic crust, while thinner, is made of mafic materials (Fe, Mg)– mainly basalt.
Is continental crust denser than oceanic?
Oceanic crust is generally composed of dark-colored rocks called basalt and gabbro. It is thinner and denser than continental crust, which is made of light-colored rocks called andesite and granite.
Why is oceanic crust thinner than continental?
Answer. oceanic crust is thinner than continental crust as oceanic crust keeps regenerating. it forms at the oceanic ridges or other sources (divergent plate boundaries) and with time it spreads away from the place of origin and becomes thinner away from the place of origin.
Why is continental crust less dense than oceanic?
Continental crust is less dense because of its composition. Continental crust is made up of felsic material (SiO4)– mainly granite. The density of continental crust is 2.9 g/cm^3. Oceanic crust, while thinner, is made of mafic materials (Fe, Mg)– mainly basalt.
What happens when continental and oceanic plates collide?
When an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate, the oceanic crust will always subduct under the continental crust; this is because oceanic crust is naturally denser. Convergent boundaries are commonly associated with larger earthquakes and higher volcanic activity.
What are three difference between oceanic and continental crust?
Difference Between Oceanic and Continental Crust The oceanic crust is mainly made out of dark basalt rocks that are rich in minerals and substances like silicon and magnesium. By contrast, the continental crust is made up of light-colored granite rocks full of substances like oxygen and silicon.
Why is the continental crust less dense than the oceanic crust?
Continental crust is less dense because of its composition. Continental crust is made up of felsic material (SiO4)– mainly granite. The density of continental crust is 2.9 g/cm^3. Oceanic crust, while thinner, is made of mafic materials (Fe, Mg)– mainly basalt.
When an oceanic and continental plates meet what is formed?
When oceanic crust converges with continental crust, the denser oceanic plate plunges beneath the continental plate. This process, called subduction, occurs at the oceanic trenches. The entire region is known as a subduction zone. Subduction zones have a lot of intense earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
What is the difference between oceanic and continental lithosphere?
Oceanic lithosphere is typically about 50-100 km thick (but beneath the mid-ocean ridges is no thicker than the crust). The continental lithosphere is thicker (about 150 km). It consists of about 50 km of crust and 100 km or more of the uppermost mantle.