Are The Continents Composed Mostly Of Granitic Rock Or Basaltic

Some of it erupts on land too but to a first approximation basalt is an oceanic rock.

Are the continents composed mostly of granitic rock or basaltic.

The oceanic crust consists of a volcanic lava rock called basalt. This difference in density allows the continents to float higher on the underlying mantle. While the ocean basins are composed of mostly basaltic rocks with an average density of 3 0g cm 3. Compared to the familiar granite of the continents basalt ba salt is darker denser and finer grained.

Earth contains three kinds of rocks namely igneous rocks sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks basalt and granite are two types of igneous rocks. 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. Basaltic rocks of the ocean plates are much denser and heavier than the granitic rock of the continental plates. The key difference between basalt and granite is that basalt is mostly occurring on ocean floors while granite is in the crust of the earth in all continents.

Why are continents made mostly of granitic rocks and ocean basins mostly of basaltic rocks. Because of this the continents ride on the. Basalt is the dark heavy volcanic rock that makes up most of the world s oceanic crust. All rocks of igneous origin consist of magma or molten earth that finds its way up to.

They are composed of mostly granitic rocks with an average density of 2 7g cm 3.