Crust describes the outermost shell of a terrestrial planet. Earth’s crust is relatively thin, just 40-kilometers (25-miles) deep. Earth's crust can be divided into two types: continental and oceanic. Which of these does NOT explain how these two types of crust differ?

Question

Responses
A Continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust.Continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust.
B Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
C Continental crust granitic composition: oceanic crust basalt and gabbro.Continental crust granitic composition: oceanic crust basalt and gabbro.
D Continental crust enriched with Fe and Mg: oceanic enriched with Al and Si.

Answer 1

The response that does NOT explain how continental and oceanic crust differ is:

D Continental crust enriched with Fe and Mg: oceanic enriched with Al and Si.

This statement is incorrect because it misrepresents the general composition of the crust types. In fact, the oceanic crust is typically enriched in iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) and has a higher density, while the continental crust is often more rich in aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) and has a lower density.