Continental plates are more buoyant then oceanic plates.
As the denser, heavier oceanic plate is forced under the lighter, more buoyant continental crust a volcanic mountain chain is usually formed - such as the Andes mountains, and the Cascadia volcanic range.
Continental crust is more buoyant than oceanic crust because it is thicker and composed mainly of less dense rocks like granite, whereas oceanic crust is thinner and denser due to its basaltic composition. This difference in density causes continental crust to float higher on the mantle, making it more buoyant.
The oceanic plate is denser than the continental plate due to its composition of heavier mafic rock. This density difference causes the oceanic plate to sink below the continental plate in a process known as subduction.
when oceanic crust and continental crust collide, the oceanic crust sinks down beneath the continental crust. this is called subduction.
the oceanic plate is more dense and subducts, or goes below, the continental plate.
Yes, continental plates are more buoyant than oceanic plates because they are thicker and less dense. Continental plates are made up of less dense material such as granite, while oceanic plates are primarily composed of denser basaltic rock. This difference in density causes continental plates to float higher on the underlying mantle.
The oceanic plate would subduct beneath the continental plate. This is because oceanic plates are denser than continental plates due to their composition, so they are more likely to be forced beneath the less dense continental plate.
The oceanic lithosphere is denser than the underlying asthenosphere. This density is primarily due to the composition of the oceanic crust, which is mainly basaltic, and the oceanic lithosphere as a whole is denser than the more buoyant continental lithosphere. The greater density of the oceanic plate contributes to its ability to subduct beneath continental plates at convergent boundaries.
Continental-continental, Oceanic-oceanic and Oceanic-continental convergent boundaries.
Oceanic lithosphere is denser than continental lithosphere, so it is more likely to be subducted during a collision. The downward force exerted by the dense oceanic plate causes it to sink beneath the less dense continental plate. Furthermore, oceanic lithosphere is typically thinner and more malleable, making it easier to be forced beneath the continental lithosphere.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.