answersLogoWhite

0

Oceanic crust is typically 6-10 km thick.

Continental crust is typically 35-40 km thick, but can be a lot thicker below mountains. High mountains also have deep roots that enable them to "float" higher on the Asthenosphere. The crust there can be up to about 70 km thick or more.

Note that not all crust covered by the sea is oceanic crust. Some continental shelves extend beyond the part of the continent that is above water. For example between Australia and Papua New Guinea and between Malaysia / Cambodia / Indonesia. The satellite view of Maps.google.com clearly shows how the continental shelf is extended beyond the landmass.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Which layer of the crust has an average thickness of five miles?

The oceanic crust.


What is the average thickness of the crust under the oceans?

The oceantic crust is (2-4mi)


What is the thickness of the crust in miles?

The average is 9 miles.The average continental crust thickness is 22 miles thick. The maximum crust thickness is 56 miles underneath the Himalayas, and is 16 miles thick at its thinnest in various places.The average oceanic crust is about 4 miles thick.For the entire Earth then, the average crust thickness is 9 miles.To scale size, the earths crust would be about the thickness of 3 ordinary sheets of paper on a basketball. The thickness of a chicken eggshell would be 16 pieces of paper on a basketball, so the earths crust is 5 times thinner than a typical egg shell. And the crust is only as thick as the egg shell at its maximum thickness underneath Nepal.Sleep tight.


What is the thickness of the earths crust in miles?

The average is 9 miles.The average continental crust thickness is 22 miles thick. The maximum crust thickness is 56 miles underneath the Himalayas, and is 16 miles thick at its thinnest in various places.The average oceanic crust is about 4 miles thick.For the entire Earth then, the average crust thickness is 9 miles.To scale size, the earths crust would be about the thickness of 3 ordinary sheets of paper on a basketball. The thickness of a chicken eggshell would be 16 pieces of paper on a basketball, so the earths crust is 5 times thinner than a typical egg shell. And the crust is only as thick as the egg shell at its maximum thickness underneath Nepal.Sleep tight.


What is the average thickness of Earth's crust?

The Earths Crust can be divided between Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust. Oceanic and Continental Crust are quiet different. The thickness of oceanic crust is between 5km and 10km. It is made of mainly basalt, grabbo and diabise. The thickness of continental crust is between 30km and 50km. It is made up of lighter rocks such as granite.


How does the thickness of oceanic crust compare to the thickness of continental crust?

Oceanic crust is generally thinner, with an average thickness of about 7-10 km, while continental crust is thicker and can range from 20-70 km or more. This difference in thickness is due to variations in composition and density of the crust types.


Where would the thickness of the earth's crust be about 40 km?

The thickness of the Earh's crust about 40 km will be at the contenintal crust.


What is a typical thickness of oceanic crust?

5 km thick


How thick is the crust in km?

The Earth's crust varies in thickness, with an average thickness of about 35 km beneath continents and 7 km beneath oceans. However, in some places, like mountain ranges, the crust can be up to 70 km thick.


Which layer of Earth is most similar in thickness to that of the atmosphere?

The Earth's crust is most similar in thickness to that of the atmosphere. The Earth's crust varies in thickness from oceanic crust (around 5-10 km) to continental crust (around 20-70 km), which is comparable to the thickness of the atmosphere (around 100 km).


How wide is earths crust?

Earth's crust is typically between 5 to 70 kilometers (3 to 44 miles) thick, with an average thickness of around 40 kilometers (25 miles). However, this thickness can vary depending on location, with oceanic crust being thinner than continental crust.


What is the thickness of the earth's crust?

The Earth's oceanic crust is very thin at the mid-ocean ridges, and gradually thickens as it moves away from the ridges. The continental crust is thickest under mountain ranges. The average depth of oceanic crust is around 5 miles. The average depth of continental crust is 22 miles.