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On average, continents are older than ocean basins. Due to the action of plate tectonics, ocean crust is being formed and destroyed continuously. The oldest oceanic crust is about 200 million years old, whereas continents, which are less dense than oceanic crust and tend not to be subducted into the mantle, can be more than 3,000 million years old in places.
Continents are generally older than the ocean floor. The ocean floor is constantly being created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at subduction zones, whereas continents are more stable and can exist for billions of years.
Actually it's the other way around. The oceanic crust ( ocean floor) is much younger than the continental crust (Continents). The continental crust started forming around 3.5 billion years ago... The oldest oceanic crust on the other hand is 180 million years.
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How would the age of the oldest rocks on the continents compare with the age of the oldest rocks on the seafloor if the rock on the continents is continually formed but not removed?
The oldest rocks on the continents would be much older than the rocks on the sea floor because the rocks on the continents are not being removed unlike the rocks on the sea floor that are made by the mid-ocean ridge are being removed by deep ocean trenches. this prossess that is occuring on the sea floor is called sea floor spreading. evidence of this is the Pacific ocean shrinking and the Atlantic ocean growing.
What is things rest upon crustal plates?
The continents and the ocean floor rest upon the plates.
Why are basalt and granite important igneous rock?
As it turns out, most of the ocean floor is basalt, and most of the continents are granite.
What makes the continent and the ocean floor unstable?
The continents and ocean floor are unstable because the plates of the lithosphere move. When the plate move, they cause the continents and ocean floor to move.
In which layer of the Earth is the ocean floor?
The ocean floor is located on the Earth's outermost layer called the crust. It is part of the crust that is covered by water, forming the ocean basins.
What is composed of the continents and the oceans floor?
Earth's crust is composed of the continents and the ocean floor.
How would the age of the oldest rocks on the continents compare with the age of the oldest rocks on the seafloor if the rock on the continents is continually formed but not removed?
The oldest rocks on the continents would be much older than the rocks on the sea floor because the rocks on the continents are not being removed unlike the rocks on the sea floor that are made by the mid-ocean ridge are being removed by deep ocean trenches. this prossess that is occuring on the sea floor is called sea floor spreading. evidence of this is the Pacific ocean shrinking and the Atlantic ocean growing.
Can plated carry continents or parts of the ocean floor but not both?
Tectonic Plates can't carry both ocean floor and continents on the same plate.
What is things rest upon crustal plates?
The continents and the ocean floor rest upon the plates.
Do continents reach the bottom of the ocean?
They do touch the ocean floor. they're like a giant mound, and the beaches flow into the water.
What is the surface of the planet that forms the continents and ocean floor?
The crust.
Why are basalt and granite important igneous rock?
As it turns out, most of the ocean floor is basalt, and most of the continents are granite.
Why is the Atlantic Ocean is spreading?
The oceanic crust of the Atlantic Ocean floor is attached to the continental crust of the continents around the ocean. So as the Atlantic's Ocean floor spreads, the continents along its edges also move. Over time, the whole ocean gets wider.
What process helps explain how continents drifts?
Ocean-floor spreading.
How do scientist know that the continents are moving?
the ocean sea floor is spreading
What makes the continent and the ocean floor unstable?
The continents and ocean floor are unstable because the plates of the lithosphere move. When the plate move, they cause the continents and ocean floor to move.
True or false plates can carry continents or parts of the ocean floor but not both?
true. only one of them can be moved at one time
