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Explain why continental crust can displace more of the mantle than oceanic crust can?
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What does the phrase 'the less buoyant plate is subducted' mean?
This means that the cooler, heavier oceanic plate at an oceanic to oceanic convergent boundary is forced into the mantle - under the hotter, lighter oceanic plate. OR At oceanic to continental boundary the heavier oceanic plate is forced into the mantle under the lighter continental plate.
Why does oceanic lithosphere sub duct while continental lithosphere does not?
Oceanic lithosphere is dense enough to be forced down into the mantle. Continental lithosphere is not.
What characteristics of continental crust allow it to float higher on the mantle than oceanic cruast?
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
What happens when oceanic and continental crust meets?
Subduction. denser oceanic plate moves under the continental plate. The oceanic plate is submerged into the mantle causing magma to rise to the surface.
Why do convergent oceanic plates subduct but continental plates do not usually respond in this way?
Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust, dense enough to sink into the mantle. Continental crust is not dense enough to do this.
Why would a certain thickness of continental crust displace less of the mantle than the same thickness of oceanic crust?
Because its less dense
Why can continental crust displace more of the mantle than oceanic crust can?
the mantle is a hot ocean of lava basically and on it floats a series of tectonic plates, on the surface of the plates is the crust. there is your answer hope it helps.
Does the continental or the oceanic crust extend farther into the mantle?
The continental crust because it is thicker than the oceanic crust
Why does the oceanic crust sit lower in the mantle than the continental crust?
Oceanic crust is more dense than continental crust.
What does the phrase 'the less buoyant plate is subducted' mean?
This means that the cooler, heavier oceanic plate at an oceanic to oceanic convergent boundary is forced into the mantle - under the hotter, lighter oceanic plate. OR At oceanic to continental boundary the heavier oceanic plate is forced into the mantle under the lighter continental plate.
Why does oceanic lithosphere sub duct while continental lithosphere does not?
Oceanic lithosphere is dense enough to be forced down into the mantle. Continental lithosphere is not.
What is the name of the process where ocean crust sinks back toward the mantle?
It is called subduction and only occurs in oceanic to oceanic or oceanic to continental plate collisions.
Where does oceanic and continental plates meet?
In a head-on collision, the oceanic plate subducts into the mantle.
Explain the significance of the fact that the lithosphere is primarily composed of basalt while the crust is composed primarily of granite?
The lithosphere is composed of the oceanic and continental crust, along with the brittle uppermost mantle. The continental crust is mainly granitic, and the oceanic crust is primarily basalt.
What characteristics of continental crust allow it to float higher on the mantle than oceanic cruast?
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
What happens when oceanic and continental crust meets?
Subduction. denser oceanic plate moves under the continental plate. The oceanic plate is submerged into the mantle causing magma to rise to the surface.
Why does the continental crust float higher on the mantle than on the oceanic crust?
the oceanic crust is more dense therefore it sinks lower than continental crust
