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The answer is subduction. In locations around the world, ocean crust subducts, or slides under, other pieces of Earth's crust. Deep below the Earth's surface, subduction causes partial melting of both the ocean crust and mantle as they slide past one another.

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Beth Jenkins

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How do scientists explain why if new crust is constantly being formed formed from volcanic materials Earth's crust stays the same size?

The constant formation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges is balanced by the consumption of crust at subduction zones. This process, known as plate tectonics, involves the recycling of Earth's crust. As new crust forms, older crust is pushed back into the mantle, ensuring that the overall size of Earth's crust remains relatively constant over time.


What thin layer of rock surrounds the earth?

That's called the crust. The size of the crust compared to the size of the Earth's mantle can be compared to the size of the radius of an apple as the mantle and the apple's skin as the thickness of the crust. the crust is broken up into several plates that float and move around on the mantle's molten surface.


The depth of the Earths crust compared to the rest of the Earth is comparable to the?

The depth of Earth's crust is significantly smaller compared to the rest of the Earth, like the thickness of an apple peel compared to the size of the whole apple. The Earth's crust is only about 1% of the Earth's total diameter.


Is the size of the earth increasing due to oceanic crust being produced?

No, the size of the Earth is not increasing due to oceanic crust being produced. The creation of oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges is balanced by its destruction at subduction zones, resulting in a process known as plate tectonics where the Earth's surface remains relatively constant in size.


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.

Related Questions

Why does the earths crust stay the same size?

The amount of crust present on Earth always stays the same. The amount of crust descending into the mantle is balanced by the amount of crust formed at mid-ocean ridges.


What is the size of the earths crust?

The Earths crust is approximately 650 km deep.


Where does new crust forms..?

New crust is formed at divergent boundaries. While an equal volume of new crust is forming the Earth still remains the same size.


If the earths crust separates at divergent boundaires and creates new crust why doesnt the earth grow in size?

This is because the size of the earth is relative stable or constant. Geologic activities do not actually changes earth size as a whole, but rather reshapes and resizes its landforms and continents. All that happen is just a recycling process whenever the earths crust seperates at divergence a boundary its being consumed somewhere else at a convergence boundary. And so on and on it goes, by this the earths overall size is maintained.


Is mars the same size as the earths core?

no


How do scientists explain why if new crust is constantly being formed formed from volcanic materials Earth's crust stays the same size?

The constant formation of new crust at mid-ocean ridges is balanced by the consumption of crust at subduction zones. This process, known as plate tectonics, involves the recycling of Earth's crust. As new crust forms, older crust is pushed back into the mantle, ensuring that the overall size of Earth's crust remains relatively constant over time.


What planet is the same size as the earths moon?

Mercury is roughly the same size, but it is bigger than our Moon.


Why is Venus referred to the earths twin?

Because it is the same size as earth


How many earths can fit in the Venus?

About one as they are practically the same size.


Why does the Earth's size remains the same despite of what is happening at the mid-oceanic ridge?

An equal amount of oceanic crust is being subducted at the convergent plate boundaries as is being created at the mid-oceanic ridge.


What planet is considered earths twin and why?

Venus, because they're about the same size


What is the length of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter?

It is approximately the same size as two earths