What is the difference between continental and oceanic plates?

What is the difference between continental and oceanic plates?

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 a continental plate definition?

one of the large pieces of the surface of the earth that move separately.

What is the difference between tectonic plates and continental plates?

The main difference between plate tectonics and continental drift is that plate tectonics describes the features and movement of Earth’s surface in the present and in the past whereas continental drift describes the drifting of Earth’s continents on the ocean bed.

What makes continental plates different than oceanic plates quizlet?

Oceanic plates are where there is tectonic plates that are dencer than continental tectonic plate(s). Continental plates are where there is tectonic plate that are lighter than oceanic tectonic plate(s). …

What is the difference between oceanic plates?

Upwelling magma produces fresh oceanic crust in these areas, which are found around mid-ocean ridges….What are the main differences between Oceanic and continental plates?

Oceanic Plates Continental Plates
Oceanic plates are much thinner than continental plates. continental plates. are much thicker than Oceanic plates.

What are 3 differences between oceanic 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.

Where are continental plates?

It is located below the lithosphere (the crust and upper mantle), between about 100 and 250 kilometers deep.

What is an example of oceanic plate?

An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific Plate, which extends from the East Pacific Rise to the deep-sea trenches bordering the western part of the Pacific basin. A continental plate is exemplified by the North American Plate, which includes North America as well as the oceanic crust…

Is continental plate heavier than oceanic?

In the theory of tectonic plates, at a convergent boundary between a continental plate and an oceanic plate, the denser plate usually subducts underneath the less dense plate. It is well known that oceanic plates subduct under continental plates, and therefore oceanic plates are more dense than continental plates.

How are oceanic plates and continental plates similar?

Oceanic and Continental crusts are alike because they both shift and move and grow. Oceanic crust is made up of dense basalt while continental crust is made up of less dense granite.

What is the difference between continental and oceanic crust quizlet?

The oceanic crust is thinner and denser, and is similar in composition to basalt (Si, O, Ca, Mg, and Fe). The continental crust is thicker and less dense, and is similar to granite in composition (Si, O, Al, K, and Na).

Which plate is a continental plate?

North American Plate
A continental plate is exemplified by the North American Plate, which includes North America as well as the oceanic crust between it and a portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

What is an example of an oceanic plate?

significance in lithosphere. In Earth: The outer shell An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific Plate, which extends from the East Pacific Rise to the deep-sea trenches bordering the western part of the Pacific basin.

What is the definition of an oceanic plate?

Oceanic plates are tectonic plates that are at the bottom of the oceans. They are thinner than continental plates, and they are also more dense, so they ride lower on the mantle. They are more dense because they are mostly basalt, having been erupted from mid-ocean ridges.

What are the similarities between continental and oceanic crust?

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.

What is a continental – oceanic convergent boundary?

Characteristics of Convergent Boundaries. Oceanic-continental plate boundaries are characterized by a mountain range, where the continental plate lifts up over the subducting oceanic plate, bordered by a deep subduction trench on the side of the oceanic trench. Oceanic-oceanic converging boundaries result in the creation of undersea volcanoes.

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