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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.

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Related Questions

Is the Earth's crust thicker under the oceans or the continents?

Earth's crust is far thicker under the continents.


Is the earth crust thicker under the continent or the ocean?

Earth's crust is far thicker under the continents.


Layer of the crust has a average of thickness of 5 miles?

Sounds right to me. Also remember that the earth's crust is thicker under the continents (land) than under the ocean where it becomes thinner.


The hard outer layer of the earth?

The hard outer layer of the Earth is called the crust. It is made up of solid rock and is divided into tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid mantle layer beneath. The crust is thinnest under the oceans and thicker beneath the continents.


What the physical properties of the layer of the earth?

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Which of earth's layers includes the land that makes up the continents and the land under the oceans?

The layer that includes the land making up the continents and the land under the oceans is the Earth's crust. The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth and is divided into two types: continental crust, which makes up the continents, and oceanic crust, which underlies the ocean basins.


What is the upper layer of the Earth including the crust?

The layer of the Earth which forms the tectonic plates is composed of the crust and uppermost mantle and is called the lithosphere.


Which earths layer includes the land that make up the continents and land under the ocean?

The layer that includes the land making up continents and the land under the ocean is the crust, which is the outermost layer of the Earth's surface. It is divided into continental crust, which forms the continents, and oceanic crust, which lies beneath the oceans.


What is Earth's crust also known as?

Earth's crust is also known as the lithosphere. It is the outermost layer of the Earth, comprising solid rock and soil. The crust varies in thickness, being thicker under continents and thinner beneath oceans. It plays a crucial role in supporting life and facilitating geological processes.


What layer of the earth continents oceans and molten rock?

Continents and oceans are located on the Earth's outermost layer, known as the crust. Beneath the crust is the mantle, which consists of solid rock that can flow under high pressure. The molten rock, or magma, is found in the Earth's innermost layer, the outer core and the inner core.


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The dermis is a thicker layer under the epidermis.


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