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Old sea floor rocks are much younger than old continental rocks! This is because the oceanic lithospheric plate forming the seafloor tends to be recycled at places known as subduction zones where it is forced below less dense (commonly continental) lithosphere.
As such the oldest continental rocks tend to be 2-3 billion years old whereas oceanic crust neve tends to be more than a few hundred million years old.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoIt depends on where on the continents compared to where on the ocean floor. Generally speaking, interior continent areas display rocks of greater age than one would find on the ocean floor.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoContinental rock is generally much older than seafloor rock, due to plate tectonics.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoYes. The oldest rocks on the seafloor are about 200 million years old. The olderst continental rocks are well over 3 billion years old.
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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.
Which has the younger rock the continental crust or oceanic crust?
The youngest rocks will be formed from cooled magma. Therefore volcanism, either on the continental crust or oceanic crust will create the youngest rocks.
What is the evidence for sea-floor spreading?
at the mid-ocean ridge, molten material rises up from the mantel and spreads out, pushing the older rocks to both sides of the ridge.
Rocks in continental crust are as old as years.?
44 million
If new seafloor is being created how does the earth stay the same size?
Because it only gets larger in one direction by getting smaller in another. In the case of ocean ridges, the 'other place' is wherever the crust has subducted into the natle at a plate boundary.
Are ocean floor rocks older or younger than the continental rocks?
Because seafloor is always being created and hence is usually newer; anything older is no longer "seafloor", it has become land. In contrast, the oldest rocks are well within a continent, are on land far from shore, and have had long enough to move away from the sea while during tectonic drift. Nearly all of the oceanic crust is recycled by the processes of plate tectonics in a roughly 160 million year cycle. Only oceanic crust is subducted into the mantle as it is denser than continental crust.
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.
What age is the oldest rocks from the seafloor?
The oldest rock are up to 125 million years old.
Which has the younger rock the continental crust or oceanic crust?
The youngest rocks will be formed from cooled magma. Therefore volcanism, either on the continental crust or oceanic crust will create the youngest rocks.
Is the continental rocks 4 billion years old?
yes.
What is the evidence for sea-floor spreading?
at the mid-ocean ridge, molten material rises up from the mantel and spreads out, pushing the older rocks to both sides of the ridge.
Rocks in continental crust are as old as years.?
44 million
If new seafloor is being created how does the earth stay the same size?
Because it only gets larger in one direction by getting smaller in another. In the case of ocean ridges, the 'other place' is wherever the crust has subducted into the natle at a plate boundary.
Why is the age of a fault younger than the rocks in which it was found?
100 year old
Why is the age of the fault younger than the rocks in which it is found?
100 year old
Why is the age of a fault younger than the rocks in which it is found?
100 year old
Why the age of a fault is younger than the rocks in which it is found?
100 year old
