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When a piece of oceanic crust subducts beneath a piece of continental crust, it leads to the formation of a subduction zone. This process generates intense geological activity, resulting in the creation of volcanic arcs and mountain ranges. Additionally, the subduction can produce deep ocean trenches and contribute to the recycling of materials into the mantle, influencing magma formation and volcanic eruptions.

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Which layer of the Earth is thicker under continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


What happens when oceanic crust meets with oceanic crust?

When oceanic crust meets another piece of oceanic crust, one of the plates is typically subducted beneath the other due to differences in density. This subduction can lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic island arcs. The intense pressure and heat at the subduction zone can also result in geological activity, including earthquakes and the creation of magma that may rise to form volcanic islands. Overall, this interaction plays a crucial role in the dynamics of plate tectonics.


How is an ocean different from a continent and an island?

An ocean is an extremely large body of water, seven of which are on Earth. A continent is a part of the Earth's crust that moves around on the convection currents of the mantle. An island is a piece of land raised above the water.


What happens when a piece of earths crust is subduction?

When a piece of Earth's crust is subducted, it sinks into the mantle beneath another tectonic plate. This process occurs at convergent plate boundaries, where an oceanic plate often subducts beneath a continental plate due to its higher density. As the subducting plate descends, it can lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches, volcanic activity, and earthquakes. The intense heat and pressure can also cause the subducted material to melt and contribute to magma formation, resulting in volcanic eruptions.


What is one piece of evidence that supports sea floor spreading?

Mapping of magnetic anomalies on the ocean floor shows alternating bands of normal and reversed polarity, indicating that new oceanic crust is continuously forming at mid-ocean ridges and spreading away in opposite directions.

Related Questions

A piece of the crust?

The Earth's crust is the outermost layer of the planet, composed of solid rock and soil. It is divided into several large tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid mantle beneath them. The crust includes both continental crust, found beneath land masses, and oceanic crust, which forms the bottom of ocean basins.


How is the earth's crust under oceans different from the crust below the continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


How is earth's crust under the oceans different from the crust below the continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


How is the earths crust under the oceans different from the crust below continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


Which layer of the Earth is thicker under continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


According to the plate tectonic theory a plate can be made up of?

A tectonic plate consists of a piece or fragment of the earth's lithosphere, which is in turn composed of the earth's crust and that portion of the earth's upper mantle which behaves as a brittle solid through which fractures can propagate.


How is the earths crust under the oceans different from the crusts below the continents?

The crust under the ocean is thinner than continental crust. Ocean crust is also, on average, richer in minerals containing iron and magnesium, giving it a greater density than continental crust. Imagine placing two slabs of wood next to each other in a swimming pool. The first slab will be thin piece of oak and the second will be thicker piece of pine. The pine, being less dense than the oak, will stick up higher in the water and at the same time will also ride lower in the water than the oak. Similarly, both ocean crust and continental crust float on the mantle (more specifically the asthenosphere which is a layer in the upper mantle). Ocean crust is like the oak and continental crust is like the pine. Ocean crust is composed largely of the igneous rocks basalt, gabbro, and peridotite. Continental crust is much more diverse in its composition, but on average is similar in density to granite.


What happens when oceanic crust meets with oceanic crust?

When oceanic crust meets another piece of oceanic crust, one of the plates is typically subducted beneath the other due to differences in density. This subduction can lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic island arcs. The intense pressure and heat at the subduction zone can also result in geological activity, including earthquakes and the creation of magma that may rise to form volcanic islands. Overall, this interaction plays a crucial role in the dynamics of plate tectonics.


How is an ocean different from a continent and an island?

An ocean is an extremely large body of water, seven of which are on Earth. A continent is a part of the Earth's crust that moves around on the convection currents of the mantle. An island is a piece of land raised above the water.


Where is evidence found for sea-floor spreading?

Other than abundant matching fossils and sedimentary rock on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the apparent puzzle piece appearance of the continents on either side of the Atlantic, there is the presence of the mid-oceanic ridges, areas where new oceanic crust is created. The magnetic orientation of the basaltic oceanic crust as it forms is the mirror image of the magnetic orientation of the basaltic oceanic crust on the other side of the ridge, indicating that the seafloor is spreading in both directions away from ridge. Additionally, the dating of rock on the ocean floor has shown that oceanic crust and overlying sediment become progressively younger as the mid-ocean ridge is approached.And finally, accurate measurements have been made by global positioning devices which verify that seafloor spreading is occurring.


What happens when a piece of earths crust is subduction?

When a piece of Earth's crust is subducted, it sinks into the mantle beneath another tectonic plate. This process occurs at convergent plate boundaries, where an oceanic plate often subducts beneath a continental plate due to its higher density. As the subducting plate descends, it can lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches, volcanic activity, and earthquakes. The intense heat and pressure can also cause the subducted material to melt and contribute to magma formation, resulting in volcanic eruptions.


Which direction does the Benioff Zone descend from the trench into the mantle?

The Benioff Zone is formed when a piece of oceanic crust is being subducted into the mantle. This line of earthquakes follow the angle of the subducting plate as it slides beneath the continental crust.