Why is the oceanic crust heavier than the continental crust?

Oceanic crust is denser, so it is subducted (see above) under the continental crust. The less dense magma rises up through the continental crust, further increasing the size of the continental crust and maintaining its lower density than the oceanic crust, which causes subduction.Click to see full answer. Considering this, is continental crust heavier than oceanic?Both oceanic crust and continental crust are less dense than the mantle, but oceanic crust is denser than continental crust. This is partly why the continents are at a higher elevation than the ocean floor. The oceanic crust is formed by partial melting of the mantle at mid-ocean ridges.Also Know, is oceanic crust heavy or light? Oceanic crust is heavier. The Fe-Mg content of these minerals leads to high density these minerals. Hence, the oceanic crust with high mafic content is heavier. On the contrary, continental crust is lighter because of its felsic composition. Also asked, in what ways does oceanic crust differ from continental crust? Oceanic crust differs from continental crust in several ways: it is thinner, denser, younger, and of different chemical composition. Like continental crust, however, oceanic crust is destroyed in subduction zones. The lavas are generally of two types: pillow lavas and sheet flows.What are the 2 kinds of crust differentiate them?There are two different types of crust: thin oceanic crust that underlies the ocean basins, and thicker continental crust that underlies the continents. These two different types of crust are made up of different types of rock.