1. Composition:
* Oceanic crust: Primarily composed of basalt, a dark-colored, dense, and fine-grained volcanic rock. It also contains some gabbro, a coarse-grained, igneous rock.
* Continental crust: Largely composed of granite, a light-colored, less dense, and coarse-grained igneous rock. It also contains various other rocks like sedimentary and metamorphic types.
2. Density:
* Oceanic crust: Denser than continental crust due to its basalt composition. This is why it sits lower than continental crust at the Earth's surface.
* Continental crust: Less dense than oceanic crust, which allows it to rise higher and form the continents.
These differences lead to other key distinctions, such as:
* Age: Oceanic crust is constantly being recycled at subduction zones, making it much younger than continental crust.
* Thickness: Oceanic crust is thinner than continental crust.
* Location: Oceanic crust underlies the ocean basins, while continental crust forms the landmasses.
