3 billion years
how ever old the earth is.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Overall their materials are of the same age, but the continental plates simply break or collide whereas the ocean-floor plates are in constant cycles of construction and destruction.
Their main differences are in thickness, composition, density and age.Oceanic crust is thinner (5-10 km thick) than continental crust (20-70 km thick).Oceanic crust is composed of minerals that have higher concentrations of iron and magnesium (Mafic minerals) than those of the continental crust (which is richer in aluminum and silica - Felsic minerals).The rocks that make up the oceanic crust are typically more dense (3300 kg/m3) than those that make up the continental crust (2700 kg/m3).Oceanic crust is as a rule much younger than continental crust; the oldest oceanic crust is rarely over 200 million years in age, whereas the continental crust can exceed 3 billion years in age.
1. The Oceanic crust is dense while the Continental crust is relatively lighter. 2. The Oceanic crust consists of Silicon and Magnessium, while the Continental crust has Silicon and Alluminium. 3. The Oceanic crust is thin, while the Continental crust is thick. 4. The Oceanic crust makes up the ocean floor, while the Continental crust carries the continents.
The continental crust is less dense
Oceanic crust is generally much younger. New ocean crust is constantly being formed.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Continental crust A+
what is the continental crust
continental crust
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Continental crust is the thicker of the two: it extends far beneath and above the Oceanic crust.
Overall their materials are of the same age, but the continental plates simply break or collide whereas the ocean-floor plates are in constant cycles of construction and destruction.
Continental crust.