Think of the continental crust as a giant, chunky iceberg made of granite. It’s lighter, thicker, and likes to bob around on the mantle like a lazy pool float.
Meanwhile, the oceanic crust is like a lean, mean, dense slab of basalt. It’s younger, thinner, and sinks like a rock—because, well, it literally is one.
Here’s the surprise: oceanic crust is only about 5 to 10 kilometers thick. Continental crust? It’s a chonky 30 to 70 kilometers deep. That’s like comparing a slice of pizza to a whole lasagna.
