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Short Answer:
The Earth has two types of crust, continental crust and oceanic crust. Basaltic rocks are the main component of oceanic crust. Continental crust consists mainly of lower density granitic rocks.
The Better Answer:
Tectonic plates and the Earth's crust are not the same thing.
Tectonic plates are made of the Earth's crust, plus the upper layers of the Earth's mantle. Together the crust and the more solid upper mantle form the lithosphere.
The crust itself is relatively thin, varying from a few kilometers thick to nearly a hundred kilometers. With the material of the mantle, the tectonic plates are 50 to 200 kilometers thick. Some plates are entirely continental and some are entirely oceanic and some are combined.
Continental crust and oceanic crust are different in make up and properties.
The continental crust has a density of about 2.7 g/cm3 and is mostly granitic, made of silicate materials with more aluminum and less iron and magnesium. Continental crust is generally thicker, in the range of 25 to 70 kilometers.
Oceanic crust is more dense (density of about 2.9 g/cm3) and the average oceanic thickness is in the range of 7-10 kilometers. Oceanic crust is primarily basalt, composed of silicate material which is rich in iron and magnesium.
Though only 40% of the Earth's surface is continental crust, there is more of it because it is thicker. Continental crust is about 70% of the volume of Earth's crust.
Both types of crusts are less dense than the material of the Earth's mantle (density of about 3.3 g/cm3), so the "float" on the mantle.
What else can I help you with?
What type of crust is the earths tectonic plates made up of?
The Earth's tectonic plates are made up of the lithosphere, which consists of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. The crust is primarily composed of solid rock made up of elements such as oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and iron.
How many tectonic plates are made of only oceanic crust?
There are seven tectonic plates that are primarily made up of oceanic crust: the Pacific Plate, Nazca Plate, Cocos Plate, Juan de Fuca Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, Arabian Plate, and the Scotia Plate. These plates are generally located in the ocean basins and are involved in the movement and interactions of Earth's tectonic plates.
What layer moves at tectonic plates?
The lithosphere is the layer that moves with the tectonic plates. The lithosphere is made up of the crust and the upper part of the mantle, and it is broken into tectonic plates that move and interact with each other.
What two types of plates consist two the crust?
The Earth's crust is primarily made up of two types of plates: oceanic plates, which are denser and thinner, and continental plates, which are less dense and thicker. These plates interact at plate boundaries, where tectonic forces drive movements such as subduction, spreading, and collision.
What material is a tectonic plate made of?
Tectonic plates are composed of both oceanic crust, primarily made up of basalt rock, and continental crust, composed of a variety of rock types including granite. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere layer of the Earth's mantle.
What type of crust is the earths tectonic plates made up of?
The Earth's tectonic plates are made up of the lithosphere, which consists of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. The crust is primarily composed of solid rock made up of elements such as oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and iron.
What is a part of the earth's crust?
The earth's crust is made up of tectonic plates.
What is the Earth's crust a part of?
The earth's crust is made up of tectonic plates.
Is the crust made of tectonic plates?
Yes, it is made of tectonic plates and those plates have names e.g. Indo Australian plate, Eurasion plate
Are plates made of Earth's crust and asthenosphere?
Tectonic plates are formed from the lithosphere which is the solid brittle portion of the upper mantle and the crust so tectonic plates are part of both the crust and the upper brittle mantle.
How many tectonic plates are made of only oceanic crust?
There are seven tectonic plates that are primarily made up of oceanic crust: the Pacific Plate, Nazca Plate, Cocos Plate, Juan de Fuca Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, Arabian Plate, and the Scotia Plate. These plates are generally located in the ocean basins and are involved in the movement and interactions of Earth's tectonic plates.
What are most of tectonic plates made of?
Most tectonic plates are made of both oceanic and continental crust. Oceanic crust is primarily composed of basalt, a dense volcanic rock, while continental crust is made up of granite and other lighter rocks. These differences in composition play a role in the movements and interactions of tectonic plates.
Part of the earth made up of solid tectonic plates?
crust idiots
What is one large piece of the lithosphere?
its made of mantle and crust
What is the Tectonic plate?
that the earth crust are made up of all different plates
What layer moves at tectonic plates?
The lithosphere is the layer that moves with the tectonic plates. The lithosphere is made up of the crust and the upper part of the mantle, and it is broken into tectonic plates that move and interact with each other.
What two types of plates consist two the crust?
The Earth's crust is primarily made up of two types of plates: oceanic plates, which are denser and thinner, and continental plates, which are less dense and thicker. These plates interact at plate boundaries, where tectonic forces drive movements such as subduction, spreading, and collision.
