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How is the density of ocean crust different that continental crust?
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
It's ... um, denser. The continents (largely SiAl, silicon-aluminium) essentially "float" on the denser SiMa (silicon-magneisum) layer.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
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What is the compition for the crust?
Crust is made up of mainly granite, a felsic rock wit a lower density than basalt, what makes up the ocean's crust, thus why the continental crust rises up compared to ocean crust.
What is the dominant rock type in the ocean crust and in the continental crust?
Basalt is the dominant rock in the ocean crust. And I assume Granite is dominant for continental crust.
Why the crust is thinner than the ocean floor?
The crust is the Ocean floor. There is Oceanic Crust, And then There is Continental Crust.
What are the two kinds of crust?
Earths crust is the outer shell of our planet. The Earth has two types of crust. Continental crust contains igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that covers the continents. Oceanic crust contains igneous basalt rocks derived from the upper mantle that cover the all the ocean floors. The igneous rocks are covered with sediments carried into the oceans from large rivers like the Amazon and Mississippi Rivers.
What is the name of the crust not under the ocean?
it is actually called continental crust
What is a continental crust?
the continental crust is the plate crust formed under the continent (less density) as opposed to oceanic crustformed under the ocean(higher density)
Does earth's crust have the same density?
Density will vary from place to place with ocean crust being denser than continental crust.
What is a Earth crust?
the continental crust is the plate crust formed under the continent (less density) as opposed to oceanic crustformed under the ocean(higher density)
What is the compition for the crust?
Crust is made up of mainly granite, a felsic rock wit a lower density than basalt, what makes up the ocean's crust, thus why the continental crust rises up compared to ocean crust.
Ocean crust dives below continental crust because of what?
Because of its higher density, and gravity. One part of plate tectonic theory.
Oceanic crust is lighter than the continental crust?
No, the oceanic crust is denser. That's why the land areas "float" so much higher than the ocean bedrock.
How is the earths crust under the oceans different from the crust below continents?
The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.
How is earth's crust under the oceans different from the crust below the continents?
The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.
How is the earth's crust under oceans different from the crust below the continents?
The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.
What is the dominant rock type in the ocean crust and in the continental crust?
Basalt is the dominant rock in the ocean crust. And I assume Granite is dominant for continental crust.
Why is the ocean crust thinner than the continental crust?
It is not. The oceanic crust is thinner than the continental crust!
What layer of the Earth's crust that is not covered by ocean water is called the crust?
continental crust
