What is the difference between continental and oceanic plates




















What are the main difference between the oceanic and continental plates? David Drayer. Jan 28, Explanation: oceanic plates are formed at divergent boundaries mainly at mid ocean ridges. Related questions What happens at a divergent plate boundary? What is one example of a hotspot? What happens at a continent-oceanic convergent boundary? Is lava produced at a continent-oceanic convergent boundary, if so how? What is a transform boundary? Who developed the theory of plate tectonics and what were the major pieces of evidence in Heat rising and falling inside the mantle creates convection currents generated by radioactive decay in the core.

The convection currents move the plates. Where convection currents diverge near the Earth's crust, plates move apart. Where convection currents converge, plates move towards each other.

The movement of the plates, and the activity inside the Earth, is described by the theory of plate tectonics. The Earth's structure and the theory of plate tectonics The Earth is made up of different layers: Cross section of the Earth's structure The inner core is in the centre and is the hottest part of the Earth.

The outer core is the layer surrounding the inner core. The areas around the shallow sea bed are known as Continental shelves. The reason behind the thickness of Continental crust is the Compressive forces related to subduction or a continental collision. The floating ability of the crust forces it upwards, the forces of Collisional are balanced by gravity and erosion.

This procedure also helps to form the keel for mountain ranges which is also the thickest crust of the earth. Continental crust is responsible for the land portion of Earth. It is the outermost layer of the lithosphere , and it forms the surface of the land. The reason behind the low density of Continental crust is that it floats on the uppermost part of Mantle. Also, they are made up of different rocks which affect their density. Both oceanic crusts as well as continental crust forms different surfaces of the earth.

Both of them are equally important for the earth. There are a lot of differences between the two but yet they help each other in maintaining the balance of continents.

Skip to content Earth is the only planet which has life, it has life integral form for example flora and fauna oxygen, water, etc.. What is Oceanic Crust? What is Continental Crust? Main Differences Between Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust Continental crust is low in density whereas oceanic crust has a higher density. Continental crust is thicker, on the contrary, the oceanic crust is thinner. Continental crust floats on magma freely but oceanic crust floats on magma scarcely.

Continental crust cannot recycle whereas oceanic crust can recycle it.



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