Study.com has thousands of articles about every This layer is sometimes called sial because its bulk composition is richer in silicates and aluminium minerals and has a lower density compared to the oceanic crust, called sima which is richer in magnesium silicate minerals and is denser. As with oceanic crust, continental crust is created by plate tectonics. Continental crust is crust that makes up the continents on Earth. first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Plate Tectonics. © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. ocean. The average composition is granite, which is much less dense than the mafic rocks of the oceanic crust (Figure 3). The thickness of the Earth’s crust varies from one region to another; with the thickness of continental crust ranging between 20-30 miles, and oceanic crust ranging between 3-6 miles on an average, and that explains the 70:30 ratio between the two. The continental crust forms one-third of the Earth’s surface, and makes up all of the dry land found on Earth. When filled with water, these basins form the planet’s oceans. Did you know the term lithosphere was created from a Greek term? Continental crust subducts under less dense oceanic crust. The oceanic crust is mainly made out of dark bas… Some content of the original page may have been edited to make it more suitable for younger readers, unless otherwise noted. This rock is rich in constituents like silicon, aluminum, and oxygen. The rocks in this layer are made up of light-colored granite rich in minerals and substances like aluminum, oxygen, and silicon. This theory states that the Earth’s outer crust is divided into 15 major plates which … How many elements make up the majority of Earth's continental crust? Imagine a swimming pool covered from end to end with rafts and floatation devices - so many floatation devices, that you can barely see what's underneath. Continental crust is typically 40 km (25 miles) thick, while oceanic crust is much thinner, averaging about 6 km (4 miles) in thickness. The continental crust varies in thickness between 25 and 70km (6 and 43 miles). When they hit each other, slide along each other, or move away from each other, you can get earthquakes and volcanoes. According to geography, the age of the oceanic crust is 200 million years. Yes, in Greek … The crust contains sections, called plates. Why does basalt lava flow. True or false? Felsic rock is igneous rock that is rich in the elements that make up feldspar and quartz. Oceanic crust is primarily composed of mafic rocks, or sima which is named for its magnesium silicate mineral s. It is thinner than continental crust, and is about 7-10 kilometers thick, however it is more dense, having a mean density of about 3.3 g / cm 3. The continental crust is the layer of granitic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks which form the continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores, known as continental shelves. The only known example of tertiary crust is the continental crust of the Earth. thoughtco.com. He has a Masters in Education, and a Bachelors in Physics. The earth's crust is the topmost and thinnest layer of the earth, which floats on the magma underneath. For example, continents are composed of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/w/index.php?title=Continental_crust&oldid=4969800. Did you know… We have over 220 college Unlike oceanic crust that has young geological rock, continents can have rocks up to 4 billion years old. When continents collide, the crust can thicken to almost 100 km, but that is temporary because it soon spreads out again. Crust (geology) In geology, a crust is the outermost layer of a planet. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. The entire surface of the earth - whether above water or underneath it - floats on a sea of hot magma, just like the rafts float on the pool water. This is what makes it continental crust, though continental crust also tends to be above sea level. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? The continental crust has a density of about 2.6 g/cm3 which helps the continents of the world to stay in one place. Land. This image is similar to how the earth is constructed. In 1912, Alfred Wegener gave the full and independent concept about the continental drift. When this happens, the crust can be pushed upwards, forming continental plates or raising the level of current continental plates to form mountains. 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 geological process is used to explain how nearly identical animals that cannot swim are found on continents separated by large oceans? The upper continental crust has a highly variable topmost layer which is a few kilometers thick and comprises relatively unmetamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Abraham Ortelius was the first geographer who proposed this phenomenon in 1596. Content of this web page is sourced from wikipedia ( http://simple.wikipedia.org). And oxygen of about 2.6 g/cm3 which helps the continents of Earth as with oceanic crust - it can from! Predominantly made of different types of rock is found under the continents on.! 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