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How are Ocean floor rocks are different from continental rocks?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Oceanic crust is composed primarily of the dense volcanic rock basalt. Continental crust is composed primarily of the intrusive igneous rock granite, less dense than basalt.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
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Are rocks on the seafloor older then the continental rocks?
No. Continental rocks are much older. New sea floor is constantly being create and destroyed. At mid-ocean ridges, the sea floor spreads and magma from deeper in the Earth pushes up to create new ocean crust. At places where ocean plates contact continental plates, the ocean plate is often pushed underneath the continental plate, in a process called subduction. As the ocean plate is pushed back down into the Earth, the heat and the pressure melt it down, destroying it. Since continental plates are very rarely subducted, and, with the exception of places like Iceland where a mid-ocean ridge actually rises above sea level, generally rocks on the continent will be older.
Where can you find the youngest rocks on the ocean floor?
you can find the youngest rocks on the top of the ocean floor.
Why is it that ancient rocks are found on the continents and not on the ocean floor?
The entire ocean floor is recycled in roughly 160 million year cycles through the process of plate tectonics. Because continental plates do not subduct, the rock is much, much older, particularly in the continental interior.
Explain how ocean-floor rocks and sediments are evidence of seafloor spreading?
The seafloor rocks vary in different places. Rock samples near ocean ridges are younger than rocks at deep sea trenches
Where are the oldest rocks located in the ocean crust?
The oldest rocks on the ocean floor would be those at the colliding edge of the plate boundary.Answer 2: The oldest of all oceanic rocks are on the Asian side of the pacific plate.
What is the compositions of the ocean floor?
The ocean floor is composed of basaltic rocks. Very mafic (dark) in color. It is thinner yet heavier than continental rock.
Are rocks on the seafloor older then the continental rocks?
No. Continental rocks are much older. New sea floor is constantly being create and destroyed. At mid-ocean ridges, the sea floor spreads and magma from deeper in the Earth pushes up to create new ocean crust. At places where ocean plates contact continental plates, the ocean plate is often pushed underneath the continental plate, in a process called subduction. As the ocean plate is pushed back down into the Earth, the heat and the pressure melt it down, destroying it. Since continental plates are very rarely subducted, and, with the exception of places like Iceland where a mid-ocean ridge actually rises above sea level, generally rocks on the continent will be older.
Where can you find the youngest rocks on the ocean floor?
you can find the youngest rocks on the top of the ocean floor.
Why is it that ancient rocks are found on the continents and not on the ocean floor?
The entire ocean floor is recycled in roughly 160 million year cycles through the process of plate tectonics. Because continental plates do not subduct, the rock is much, much older, particularly in the continental interior.
Is ocean floor smooth?
The ocean floor is not smooth.The ocean floor is made up of rocks, ledges and ditches.
The youngest rocks on the ocean floor are located where?
The youngest rocks on the ocean floor are located at mid-ocean ridges. These ridges are always found at divergent boundaries.
Why do you think that old rocks are rare one ocean floor?
There are no rocks on the ocean floor because they turn to sand. The moving of the water gradually wears away at the rocks.
What are types of evidence that the sea floor is expanding?
Rocks have a north and south pole. The sea floor was discovered to have different magnetic poles on cracks in the ocean floor.
Why was the discovery of no rocks older than 2billion years old on the ocean floor so important?
It is an indication that the ocean floor is moving, being created by rifting and destroyed by subduction, thus providing evidence of plate tectonics and continental drift.
Explain how ocean-floor rocks and sediments are evidence of seafloor spreading?
The seafloor rocks vary in different places. Rock samples near ocean ridges are younger than rocks at deep sea trenches
Where are the oldest rocks located in the ocean crust?
The oldest rocks on the ocean floor would be those at the colliding edge of the plate boundary.Answer 2: The oldest of all oceanic rocks are on the Asian side of the pacific plate.
What will you find on the ocean floor?
sand,rocks
