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The older, basaltic rocks that formed on the Earth before granite first developed were to easily weathered by the ocean to form permanent continents. The ocean floor is made of basalt, but when basaltic formations extended to the surface of early oceans, they were quickly weathered away. Granite first formed when underwater volcanoes erupted, and the magma was cooled extremely quickly, forming a less dense, but much more durable, rock than basalt. These early granite formations served as the "anchors" for the early continents to form upon.
In short, granite was the most durable form of rock to develop on early Earth, and, as such, it provided a durable place for the continents to develop on, safe from the erosive forces of the early oceans.
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What is composition of the crust under the continents?
continental crust is made of granite and it's high in silica. I had for homework. Hope that helped!!
What is the most common igneous rock of the continent?
Granite for the continents; Basalt for the oceans.
What is the type of rock that comprises the bulk of the continents?
The continents are made up of the least dense minerals and elements, essentially the continents float in a 'sea' of denser rocks, which are involved in a slow process of convection within the Earth's Mantle. As this convection proceeds the continental rafts get moved across the face of the planet. The cores of continents (where they are exposed at the surface by erosion and uplift are composed of Metamorphic rocks with a chemical composition similar to that of Granite - they frequently show a metamorphic fabric and the term used to describe them is 'Banded Gneisses'
Is concrete granite?
No. Concrete is a man made material that was first invented by the Romans. Granite is a natural material.
What are the earths plates made of?
parts of the crust and upper mantle
What are the continents made of?
Continents are mainly composed of various types of rocks, minerals, and sediments. They consist of a crust layer made of solid rock called lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates. Beneath the crust is the mantle layer, which is semi-solid and flows over geologic timescales. The continents also contain landforms such as mountains, valleys, and plains shaped by tectonic activity and erosion.
The rock beneath the continents is made of?
Granite
Why are basalt and granite important igneous rock?
As it turns out, most of the ocean floor is basalt, and most of the continents are granite.
What rocks make up the continent floor?
The continental plate, which is made of granite rock, makes up the continents.
What is composition of the crust under the continents?
continental crust is made of granite and it's high in silica. I had for homework. Hope that helped!!
What is the most common igneous rock of the continent?
Granite for the continents; Basalt for the oceans.
What is the type of rock that comprises the bulk of the continents?
The continents are made up of the least dense minerals and elements, essentially the continents float in a 'sea' of denser rocks, which are involved in a slow process of convection within the Earth's Mantle. As this convection proceeds the continental rafts get moved across the face of the planet. The cores of continents (where they are exposed at the surface by erosion and uplift are composed of Metamorphic rocks with a chemical composition similar to that of Granite - they frequently show a metamorphic fabric and the term used to describe them is 'Banded Gneisses'
What rock is continental plates made up of?
Continental Crust is the layer of rocks that forms the continents and continental shelves. It is mostly made of granite or granitic rock.
Is concrete granite?
No. Concrete is a man made material that was first invented by the Romans. Granite is a natural material.
What minierals are in granite?
Granite is a widely occurring group of intrusive, igneous rocks that form at great depth and pressure under continents. The minerals in granite are primarily quartz, feldspar, and mica.
What is granite out of?
the granite is made out of magma
Why was Mount Rushmore made out of granite?
Because the mountain that they are made on is granite.
