What is the Earth's crust made of?

The Earth's crust is the outermost layer of our planet, and it is made up of various types of rocks and minerals. These materials are broadly categorized into two main types: basaltic and granitic, or more commonly referred to as oceanic crust and continental crust, respectively.

Oceanic crust is primarily composed of basalt, a dark, dense rock that forms from the rapid cooling of lava. This type of crust is typically about 5-10 kilometers thick and is found beneath the ocean basins.

Continental crust, on the other hand, is mostly made of granite, a lighter, less dense type of rock composed of minerals like quartz, feldspar, and mica. This type of crust is thicker than oceanic crust, averaging about 30-50 kilometers in thickness, but can be up to 70 kilometers thick in some areas.

Both types of crust contain a mixture of silicate minerals, including quartz, plagioclase feldspar, orthoclase feldspar, and micas, as well as varying amounts of other minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene in oceanic crust. The crust also contains various elements such as oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

The Earth's crust is also divided into large and small pieces called tectonic plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath the crust and move due to the heat and convection currents in the Earth's mantle. The movement of these plates is responsible for the formation of many geological features and events, such as mountains, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions