What is a continental plate in geography?

lithosphere. In Earth: The outer shell. 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. The latter is an enormous submarine mountain chain that extends down the axis of the Atlantic basin,…

What is the geology of the continental plate?

The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s solid outer crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet.

Where are continental plates?

continental crust, the outermost layer of Earth’s lithosphere that makes up the planet’s continents and continental shelves and is formed near subduction zones at plate boundaries between continental and oceanic tectonic plates. The continental crust forms nearly all of Earth’s land surface.

Which is a geographic example of a continental collision?

Examples of continent-continent convergent boundaries are the collision of the India Plate with the Eurasian Plate, creating the Himalaya Mountains, and the collision of the African Plate with the Eurasian Plate, creating the series of ranges extending from the Alps in Europe to the Zagros Mountains in Iran.

What is continental and oceanic plates?

Continental crust is composed of granitic rocks which are made up of relatively lightweight minerals such as quartz and feldspar. By contrast, oceanic crust is composed of basaltic rocks, which are much denser and heavier.

What is the meaning of oceanic plates?

Oceanic plates are plates that are located beneath the ocean. As stated, oceanic plates are denser than continental ones. This is because they are made of denser rocks. Oceanic plates are typically composed of basalt.

How are the continental plates formed?

Continental plates are formed due to cooling of magma. two plates collide with each other when one plate moves down another. The plate moving down gets heated tremendously due to the internal heat of the Earth and melts this way it gets destroyed.

What is the definition of continental crust in science?

The continental crust is the layer of granitic, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, which form the continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores (continental shelves).

How are continental plates formed?

Continental plates are formed due to cooling of magma. two plates collide with each other when one plate moves down another. The plate moving down gets heated tremendously due to the internal heat of the Earth and melts this way it gets destroyed. Was this answer helpful?

Which geographic features form as a result of continental continental convergent plates?

When two continental plates converge, they smash together and create mountains. The amazing Himalaya Mountains are the result of this type of convergent plate boundary. The Appalachian Mountains resulted from ancient convergence when Pangaea came together.

What geologic features are formed in continental continental convergence?

Deep ocean trenches, volcanoes, island arcs, submarine mountain ranges, and fault lines are examples of features that can form along plate tectonic boundaries. Volcanoes are one kind of feature that forms along convergent plate boundaries, where two tectonic plates collide and one moves beneath the other.

What is the meaning of oceanic plate?

Oceanic plates are formed by divergent plate boundaries. These zones, located along mid-ocean ridges, represent areas where upwelling magma creates new oceanic crust. As lava flows from these volcanic ridges, it quickly cools, forming extrusive igneous rock.