3 billion years
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Overall their materials are of the same age, but the continental plates simply break or collide whereas the ocean-floor plates are in constant cycles of construction and destruction.
In technical terms, the oceanic crust is denser than the continental crust so when the continental crust and the oceanic crust meet the continental crust will sink under and the oceanic crust will slide over and a volcano will be formed as well as producing earthquakes in the process.
The oldest continental crust is significantly older than the oldest oceanic crust. The oldest continental rocks, found in regions like Canada and Australia, are over 4 billion years old. In contrast, the oldest oceanic crust, located at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, is only about 200 million years old, as it is continuously created and destroyed through the process of plate tectonics. This stark difference highlights the stability and longevity of continental crust compared to the dynamic nature of oceanic crust.
Oceanic and Continental crusts are alike because they both shift and move and grow. They differ by there rock types. Oceanic crust is made up of dense basalt while continental crust is made up of less dense granite.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Oceanic crust is generally younger than continental crust. Oceanic crust is continuously formed at mid-ocean ridges through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge, undergoing processes that make it relatively young compared to the older continental crust.
Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust due to its composition and age, causing it to sink lower into the mantle. The oceanic crust is also thinner and has been subjected to more intense heat and pressure, which contributes to its lower position in the mantle compared to the thicker, lighter continental crust.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Overall their materials are of the same age, but the continental plates simply break or collide whereas the ocean-floor plates are in constant cycles of construction and destruction.
In technical terms, the oceanic crust is denser than the continental crust so when the continental crust and the oceanic crust meet the continental crust will sink under and the oceanic crust will slide over and a volcano will be formed as well as producing earthquakes in the process.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Continental crust is the thicker of the two: it extends far beneath and above the Oceanic crust.
The oldest continental crust is significantly older than the oldest oceanic crust. The oldest continental rocks, found in regions like Canada and Australia, are over 4 billion years old. In contrast, the oldest oceanic crust, located at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, is only about 200 million years old, as it is continuously created and destroyed through the process of plate tectonics. This stark difference highlights the stability and longevity of continental crust compared to the dynamic nature of oceanic crust.
Oceanic and Continental crusts are alike because they both shift and move and grow. They differ by there rock types. Oceanic crust is made up of dense basalt while continental crust is made up of less dense granite.
Their main differences are in thickness, composition, density and age.Oceanic crust is thinner (5-10 km thick) than continental crust (20-70 km thick).Oceanic crust is composed of minerals that have higher concentrations of iron and magnesium (Mafic minerals) than those of the continental crust (which is richer in aluminum and silica - Felsic minerals).The rocks that make up the oceanic crust are typically more dense (3300 kg/m3) than those that make up the continental crust (2700 kg/m3).Oceanic crust is as a rule much younger than continental crust; the oldest oceanic crust is rarely over 200 million years in age, whereas the continental crust can exceed 3 billion years in age.