why are there fewer large craters on the seafloor than on the continents?, check these out | How does it explain the differences between seafloor and continental crust?

Why are there fewer large impact craters on the Earth’s seafloor than on the continents? Seafloor crust is younger than continental crust, so it has had less time in which to suffer impacts.

How does it explain the differences between seafloor and continental crust?

Seafloor crust is thinner, younger, and higher in density. … Continental crust is made from volcanic rock called basalt, which is lower in density than what the seafloor crust is made from.

Why is continental crust lower density than seafloor crust?

Why is continental crust lower in density than seafloor crust? Continental crust is made from remelted seafloor crust and therefore only the lower-density material rises to form it. How fast do plates move on Earth? one plate slides under another, returning older crust to the mantle.

What can we conclude if a planet has few impact craters of any size?

What do we conclude if a planet has few impact craters of any size? geological processes have erased craters. How many of the five terrestrial worlds are considered “geologically dead?”

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds?

Why does Earth have the strongest magnetic field among the terrestrial worlds? It is the only one that has both a partially molten metallic core and reasonably rapid rotation.

Why do large planets retain internal heat longer than small planets?

Why do large planets retain internal heat longer than smaller planets? The extra rock on larger planets acts as insulation, so it takes much longer for interior heat to reach the surface. Also, the bigger planets will start out hotter because of a deeper core with higher temperatures and pressure.

How do Crater counts tell us the age of a surface?

Counting the Craters

One way to estimate the age of a surface is by counting the number of impact craters. Thus, in the absence of forces to eliminate craters, the number of craters is simply proportional to the length of time the surface has been exposed.

Why might the oceanic crust be denser than continental crust?

Oceanic crust is denser because it generally melts to a higher fraction than continental crust. When rocks melt to 20–30% like they do at mid-ocean ridges, the result is more dense than when rocks melt to form continental plates, which is typically 1–5%.

Is continental crust more dense than oceanic crust?

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.

Which crust is more dense oceanic or continental?

Continental crust is also less dense than oceanic crust, though it is considerably thicker; mostly 35 to 40 km versus the average oceanic thickness of around 7-10 km. About 40% of the Earth’s surface is now underlain by continental crust.

What is the main factor that makes Earth more geologically active than the other terrestrial planets?

Why is the Earth geologically active? Earth is Geologically active because it still has heat within the core. What is particularly unique about the Earth’s atmosphere? It protects the surface against solar radiation, makes our planet warm enough for liquid water to exist, and it is very thin.

What do craters on a planet’s surface tell you about what The planet has or doesn’t have?

The surfaces of asteroids and the rocky, ice covered moons of the outer gas planets are cratered as well. The craters left by impacting objects can reveal information about the age of a planet’s surface and the nature and composition of the planet’s surface at the time the crater was formed.

What effect causes a planet’s mean temperature to be hotter than we’d expect based solely on its distance from its star?

The evidence discussed in this tutorial makes it clear that greenhouse gases make a planet’s surface warmer than it would otherwise be, so we should expect a rise in the greenhouse gas concentration to make Earth warmer.

Why does Earth have a strong magnetic field what about the magnetic field of Venus and Mars?

This might have been the fate of Venus. Thanks to churning convection in its liquid outer core, Earth has a substantial magnetic field. The churning core became the dynamo that created our planet’s strong, global magnetic field.

Which terrestrial worlds has the strongest magnetic field?

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and therefore has the strongest magnetic field.

How do the size and mass of Jupiter’s core compare to the size and mass of Earth?

How do the size and mass of Jupiter’s core compare to the size and mass of Earth? It is about the same size but is 10 times more massive. Jupiter’s greater mass compresses it more, thus increasing its density.

Why does Earth have fewer craters than Venus Group of answer choices?

Mercury has no volcanoes. Earth has fewer craters than Venus. Why? The magnetic field gets frozen into rocks, and plate tectonics spreads them out.

Why does the interior of a large planet take longer to cool than the interior of a small planet?

The planet must have a molten interior. Why does the interior of a large planet take longer to cool than the interior of a smaller planet? Small planets have a larger surface area-to-volume ratio than larger planets.

Why do smaller worlds retain less of their internal heat?

Why do smaller worlds retain less of their internal heat? The amount of heat energy a body contains is proportional to its volume, and the volume is proportional to the cube of the radius.