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The asthenosphere.
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Why are oceanic plates lower than continental plates?
Because continental plates are denser than oceanic. That is why oceanic and continental plates cause subduction zones.
What cause the motion of the plates?
Radioactive decay within the deep interior of the Earth causes convection currents in the magma of the mantle. The continental plates float on top of the mantle, and the currents push them. That is why continents drift.
Name two types of tectonic plates?
The two types of tectonic plates are continental and oceanic.
Why do tectonic plates float on the atmosphere?
They don't. Tectonic plates float on the asthenosphere, as they are a bit less dense.
Why do oceanic plates move under continental plates when the two collide?
Oceanic plates move under continental plates when they converge together because the oceanic plate is more denser than the continental plate.
What are the tectonic plates float on?
The continental plates float on asthenosphere, molten rock (lava).
What Plates ride or float on the top of the?
The crustal plates (both continental and oceanic) float on the denser mantle.
What are the tectonic plates floating?
The continental plates float on asthenosphere, molten rock (lava).
What causes the Continental and oceani plates to move?
The tectonic plates move because of the great amount of liquid rock, or magma that they 'float' on and get pushed by.
What is the difference between a plate and a continent?
A continent is what floats on top of the plate. There are continental and oceanic plates. The continents float on the continental plate and the ocean sits on the oceanic plate. But there are also plates that carry both continents and oceans. The plates are what causes continental drift. So basically plates are what carry the continents and oceans.
What is conti nentaldrift?
Continental drift is the drift of continents. The earth consists of large plates floating on a ball of molten rock. Such a plate is called a tectonic plate, and since they float, they can float a way. This is called continental drift. Continental drift is one of the main causes of earthquakes. Earthquakes especially happen when two continental plates are shifting next to each other.
Why do some tectonic plates sink while others float?
They all float (on the mantle), some just float lower than others. The main reason is what they're made of; all plates have a high percentage of silica in them, but those with more aluminium than magnesium (continental plates) float higher than those with more magnesium (ocean floor plates) because they're less dense.
What layer of earth forms the continents?
the crust. the layer below that is the layer of molten lava called the mantle. the continental plates move and float on this. this is known as continental drift
What caused continental drift?
volcanos, mountains
Why is continental drift on earth?
continental drift is caused by currents in the magma below the earth's crust. The plates float on this liquid, and are constantly moving bit by bit, influenced by these currents.
Where does crustal plates float?
the plates float on top of the upper mantle
What do the plates on the earth crust float on?
There called tectonic plates, and they do not float on anything.
