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What accounts for the difference in density between oceanic crust and contenetial crust?

Continental crust is made of granite, and forms the continents and areas of shallow seabed close to their shores. It is less dense than the material of the mantle, which consists of mafic rock. Continental crust is then less-dense than oceanic crust, which, due to sea-floor spreading, is hardened mantle/lithosphere.


How do the densities of oceanic crust and continental crust influence what happens when an oceanic plate coverages with a continental plate?

Oceanic crust is more dense than continental crust. All that water weight compresses the heck out of the material in the plate and also the oceanic crust contains larger percentages of denser elements such as magnesium and iron than the continental crust which also contributes to it's higher density. This sets the conditions for what happens. The more dense oceanic crust will "dive under" continental crust because it is more dense, and all because of the difference in densities.


Oean crust dives below continental crust because?

Oceanic crust is denser and thinner than continental crust, so when the two converge at a subduction zone, the oceanic crust is forced to sink beneath the less dense continental crust. This process of subduction is driven by the difference in density between the two types of crust, as well as the movement of tectonic plates.


How Continental crust is about times thicker than oceanic crust.?

Continental crust is typically about 30-50 km thick, whereas oceanic crust is only about 5-10 km thick. This difference in thickness is primarily due to variations in composition and density between the two types of crust. Continental crust is made up of less dense, older rocks, while oceanic crust is composed of denser, younger basaltic rocks.


Granite is a low-density rock that makes up the what crust?

Granitic rock forms the majority of the continental crust.

Related Questions

Which kind of earth's plates is heavier and which is lighter?

Oceanic plates are heavier than continental plates because they are denser and thinner. Continental plates are lighter because they are less dense and thicker. The difference in density and composition accounts for the varying weights of the Earth's plates.


What and the difference between oceanic and continental?

Oceanic crust is mostly basaltic, which is denser, while continental crust is made from mostly basaltic and sedimentary rocks, which are less dense. This difference in density is why the oceanic crust sinks lower (thus the oceans) and the continental crust rides higher (thus the continents) on the mantle.


Continental crust and the difference between oceanic crust?

Oceanic crust is mostly basaltic, which is denser, while continental crust is made from mostly basaltic and sedimentary rocks, which are less dense. This difference in density is why the oceanic crust sinks lower (thus the oceans) and the continental crust rides higher (thus the continents) on the mantle.


What is the difference between the continental crust and the oceanic crusts?

Most significantly, there is a material difference in the weight and density of the two types of crust. This manifests itself when tectonic movement brings oceanic in continental plates into collision. Oceanic crust is relatively denser but typically about 100km this. Continental crust is lighter but almost twice as thick--about 200km.


What is the difference between a probability density curve and cummulative distribution function?

what is density curve


What accounts for the difference in density between oceanic crust and contenetial crust?

Continental crust is made of granite, and forms the continents and areas of shallow seabed close to their shores. It is less dense than the material of the mantle, which consists of mafic rock. Continental crust is then less-dense than oceanic crust, which, due to sea-floor spreading, is hardened mantle/lithosphere.


What is the difference between density and matter?

The difference is that Density is one way of measuring matter, its a math expression. While Matter is a physical substance.


What is the density of the isotope 190Pt?

The density of platinumi s 21,45 g/cm3. The difference in density between isotopes is not significant.


How do scientist determine the different between gold and fools gold?

by the the difference between their density


What is the difference volume and mass?

mass is weight. volume accounts for size. density of items change therefore masses are not the same as volumes


What is the density to continental to Continental?

They are less dense that is why there is no subduction zone


What would be the most noticeable difference between the rock and the model?

Density would be the most noticeable difference between the rock and the model.