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Why do oceanic plates subduct?

Updated: 4/28/2022
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12y ago

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Bacause they are composed of material that is denser than that of the continental crust. As such ocernic crust is less bouyant than contiental crust and so where oceanic crust collides with continental crust, the oceanic srust tends to be forced beneath the continetal crust.

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12y ago
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Q: Why do oceanic plates subduct?
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Related questions

Is oceanic oceanic convergence?

oceanic convergence is when two oceanic plates subduct beneath one another.


What is Oceanic convergence?

oceanic convergence is when two oceanic plates subduct beneath one another.


What oceanic convergence?

oceanic convergence is when two oceanic plates subduct beneath one another.


Why does the oceanic plate subduct and the continent doesn't?

water puts the Oceanic plates under much more pressure than the air above Continental plates


When young and old oceanic plates collide why does the old plate subduct?

The old plate subduct because it is denser thatn the young plate.


What happens when a plate gets subducted?

The colder, more dense plate is the one that subducts in a collision between two plates. In an oceanic to oceanic plate collision it is the older of the two plates that will subduct due to its higher density. In an oceanic to continental plate collision, it's the oceanic plate that will subduct because of its higher density.


Are subducting plate and oceanic plate the same?

No. While only oceanic crust can subduct it is not always subducting. When two oceanic plates converge, only one of them subducts.


When oceanic plates collide with continental plates the oceanic plate goes under the continental plate because?

The oceanic plate subduct under the continental because oceanic is made from basalt(rock) which is denser than andesite and granite(continental)


Why do convergent oceanic plates subduct but continental plates do not usually respond in this way?

Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust, dense enough to sink into the mantle. Continental crust is not dense enough to do this.


What happens between oceanic and continental plates at convergent boundaries?

Convergent boundary+oceanic plate=subduction because the oceanic plate is more dense causing it to subduct down back to the mantle.


What is the result when continental plates meet oceanic plates?

If the plates are moving toward each other, the more dense oceanic plate will subduct underneath the less dense continental plate. Mountain ranges and volcanism may result as the water saturated subducting oceanic crust creates molten rock which attempts to rise to the surface.


What is the difference between oceanic and continental plates?

Continental plates are thicker and less dense. Continental plates are mainly granitic in composition. Oceanic plates are mainly basaltic in composition. The rock of continental plates is on average, much older than the rock of the oceanic plates. The oceanic plate underlies the oceans, and the continental plate makes up the land masses. Continental plates do not subduct at convergent plate boundaries.