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Question
understanding earths crust
a scientist uses a special instrument to measure the depth of earths crust. he measures one location that is 65 kilometers deep. where is this section of crust most likely located?
- below a vast ocean
- below a deep canyon
- below a mountain range
- below an island volcano
Brief Explanations
To determine the location of the 65 - kilometer - deep Earth's crust section, we recall the thickness of different types of Earth's crust:
- Oceanic crust is relatively thin, usually around 5 - 10 kilometers thick.
- Continental crust is thicker. Mountain ranges are part of the continental crust, and the continental crust can be around 30 - 70 kilometers thick (or more in some mountainous regions). A deep canyon is still part of the continental crust but doesn't have the same thickening as a mountain range. An island volcano, if it's a volcanic island (like those in the Pacific), has a crust that is a combination of oceanic and some volcanic material, but its crustal thickness is not as large as that of a mountain range in the continental crust. So a 65 - kilometer - deep crustal section is most likely below a mountain range.
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below a mountain range