At a convergent boundary, typically an oceanic lithosphere collides with either another oceanic lithosphere or continental lithosphere. When an oceanic plate meets a continental plate, the denser oceanic plate subducts beneath the continental plate, leading to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic arcs. If two oceanic plates collide, one may subduct beneath the other, resulting in the creation of island arcs.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.
Oceanic lithosphere is dense enough to be forced down into the mantle. Continental lithosphere is not.
There are two types of lithosphere: the oceanic lithosphere and the continental lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere exists in the ocean basins while the continental lithosphere exists in the continental crust.
The lithosphere is composed of oceanic crust (mostly basalt)
At a convergent boundary, typically an oceanic lithosphere collides with either another oceanic lithosphere or continental lithosphere. When an oceanic plate meets a continental plate, the denser oceanic plate subducts beneath the continental plate, leading to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic arcs. If two oceanic plates collide, one may subduct beneath the other, resulting in the creation of island arcs.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.
As odd as it is to think of things this way, continental lithosphere is more buoyant than oceanic lithosphere. The oceanic lithosphere is more dense.
The lithosphere is composed of crust and hard upper mantle. The oceanic lithosphere would be hard upper mantle and basaltic oceanic crust.
The lithosphere is composed of crust and hard upper mantle. The oceanic lithosphere would be hard upper mantle and basaltic oceanic crust.
a trench will form
Oceanic lithosphere is dense enough to be forced down into the mantle. Continental lithosphere is not.
terranes are attached to the edge of a continent
The density of the continental (granitic) lithosphere is lower than oceanic (basaltic) lithosphere. Consequently, due to buoyancy, the continental crust rides above the oceanic lithosphere and thus is not subducted. However, it is thought that pieces of the continental lithosphere break off and are subducted along with the oceanic lithosphere.
Continental lithosphere is thicker and less dense than oceanic lithosphere. Continental crust is primarily composed of granitic rock while oceanic crust is composed primarily of basaltic rock.
No, oceanic lithosphere contains more mafic rocks compared to continental lithosphere. Oceanic lithosphere is mainly composed of basalt, which is a mafic rock, whereas continental lithosphere is composed of a variety of rock types, including granitic rocks which are more felsic in composition.