Why Is The Contitental Crust Made Up Of Granite
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.
Why is the contitental crust made up of granite. At convergent plate boundaries where tectonic plates crash into each other continental crust is thrust up in the process of orogeny or mountain building for this reason the thickest parts of continental crust are at the world s tallest mountain ranges. Oceanic crust is formed at spreading ridges where the underlying mantle is melting and rising up to build new oceanic crust. Due to the moderate amount of melting and the source in the mantle rocks the magma at the spreading ridge forms basalt. Continental crust is the layer of igneous sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that forms the geological continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores known as continental shelves 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.
The crust is bonded to the top part of the mantle underneath it to form the lithosphere. The lithosphere is a hard cool shell around the planet. Why is it that the continental crust is mainly made of granite which is an intrusive rock while the oceanic crust is mainly made of basalt an. The continental crust is made up of a variety of rocks from sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone to metamorphic rocks such as marble and slate and igneous rocks like granite.