How do the differences between continental and oceanic crust affect the way plates interact?
How do the differences between continental and oceanic crust affect the way plates interact?
Oceanic plates are much thinner than the continental plates. At the convergent boundaries the continental plates are pushed upward and gain thickness. The rocks and geological layers are much older on continental plates than in the oceanic plates. The Continental plates are much less dense than the Oceanic plates.
What is the difference between an oceanic plate and a continental plate?
Oceanic plates are formed by divergent plate boundaries. Continental plates, meanwhile, are formed primarily by convergent plate boundaries. These zones represent areas where oceanic plates collide with and plunge underneath continental plates – a process called subduction.
What happens when oceanic and continental crusts interact?
When oceanic crust converges with continental crust, the denser oceanic plate plunges beneath the continental plate. This process, called subduction, occurs at the oceanic trenches. The subducting plate causes melting in the mantle above the plate. The magma rises and erupts, creating volcanoes.
What are the similarities and differences between oceanic and continental crust and how are they related to density?
The density of Continental crust is lower than oceanic crust and it accounts for 2.63g / cm3. Due to the difference between the densities of both Continental Crust and Oceanic crust, the balance of continent land is maintained and both crusts can float on magma. The continent crust flows more freely on the magma.
What are three differences between oceanic and continental crust?
The oceanic crust is mainly made out of dark basalt rocks that are rich in minerals and substances like silicon and magnesium. By contrast, the continental crust is made up of light-colored granite rocks full of substances like oxygen and silicon. The continental crust is older than the oceanic crust….
What are the similarities between oceanic and continental crust?
Terms in this set (2) 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.
In what ways are the two types of crust different?
“Crust” describes the outermost shell of a terrestrial planet. Earth’s crust is generally divided into older, thicker continental crust and younger, denser oceanic crust. The dynamic geology of Earth’s crust is informed by plate tectonics….
Why oceanic crust is denser than continental?
Oceanic crust is denser because it generally melts to a higher fraction than continental crust. When rocks melt to 20–30% like they do at mid-ocean ridges, the result is more dense than when rocks melt to form continental plates, which is typically 1–5%.
How are the two types of crust similar?
Earth’s Crust There are two different types of crust: thin oceanic crust that underlies the ocean basins, and thicker continental crust that underlies the continents. These two different types of crust are made up of different types of rock.
What is crust Short answer?
A crust is the outermost layer of a planet. The crust of the Earth is composed of a great variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. The crust is underlain by the mantle. The upper part of the mantle is composed mostly of peridotite, a rock denser than rocks common in the overlying crust.
What are the characteristics of continental crust?
Continental crust is broadly granitic in composition and, with a density of about 2.7 grams per cubic cm, is somewhat lighter than oceanic crust, which is basaltic (i.e., richer in iron and magnesium than granite) in composition and has a density of about 2.9 to 3 grams per cubic cm.
What are the two components of the continental crust?
The continental crust is composed of granitic rocks, which have even more silicon and aluminum than the basaltic oceanic crust and are less dense than basalt.
What is the temperature range of the continental crust?
around 200-400 degrees celsius
What is the temperature of each of Earth’s layers?
The temperature is around 1000°C at the base of the crust, around 3500°C at the base of the mantle, and around 5,000°C at Earth’s centre. The temperature gradient within the lithosphere (upper 100 km) is quite variable depending on the tectonic setting.
What causes the difference in temperature between the 2 types of crust?
The difference in temperature between the two types of crust is due to the fact that, the oceanic crust is constantly being cooled by the cold water at the bottom of the oceans while the continental plate is constantly heated by sunlight during daylight.
How thick is the continental crust?
around 35 km
What is the continental crust state of matter?
solid
Why is continental crust less dense?
Continental crust is less dense because of its composition. Continental crust is made up of felsic material (SiO4)– mainly granite. The density of continental crust is 2.9 g/cm^3. Oceanic crust, while thinner, is made of mafic materials (Fe, Mg)– mainly basalt….
Why is the continental crust made of granite?
The continental crust is composed mostly of granite. The oceanic crust consists of a volcanic lava rock called basalt. Basaltic rocks of the ocean plates are much denser and heavier than the granitic rock of the continental plates. Because of this the continents ride on the denser oceanic plates.
What is the effect of the movement of lithosphere?
The surface of the Earth is made up of tectonic plates that lie beneath both the land and oceans of our planet. The movements of these plates can build mountains or cause volcanoes to erupt. The clash of these plates can also cause violent earthquakes, where Earth’s surface shakes….
What is the average age of continental crust?
about 2.0 Ga
What is the least dense layer?
crust
When two continental crusts converge what landforms do they form?
Instead, a collision between two continental plates crunches and folds the rock at the boundary, lifting it up and leading to the formation of mountains and mountain ranges. Select each label for additional information.
What happens when two continental crusts meet?
Plates Collide When two plates carrying continents collide, the continental crust buckles and rocks pile up, creating towering mountain ranges. The Himalayas are still rising today as the two plates continue to collide. The Appalachian Mountains and Alps also formed in this way.
What forms when two continental plates pull apart?
valleys