Continental crust is characterized by being thicker and less dense than oceanic crust. Which statement best reflects this?

• A. It is thicker and less dense
• B. It is thinner and more dense
• C. It is made of iron and nickel
• D. It is the molten layer beneath the crust

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how crusts differ in thickness and density, which explains why continents ride higher than the ocean floor. Continental crust is thick and comparatively light, while oceanic crust is thin and denser. This combination means continental rocks float higher on the mantle, forming landmasses that rise above sea level, whereas the denser, thinner oceanic crust forms the ocean floors.

Continental crust is made mostly of granitic rocks and has a density around 2.7 g/cm^3, while oceanic crust is built mainly from basaltic rocks with a density closer to 3.0 g/cm^3. The greater thickness of the continental crust plus its lower density explains its buoyancy and elevation relative to oceanic crust. The other statements either describe something thinner and denser, which doesn’t describe continents, or refer to materials or layers (like iron-nickel composition or a molten layer) that belong to other parts of Earth, not the crust.