In the interior of continents the earth's crust is typically about 40km thick and the elevation is near sea level. Most earth materials expand when heated, lowering their density. During rifting continental margins are heated but cool as sea floor spreading moves offshore from the continent. Thus, basic isostasy suggests that after rifting, a continental margin will_______ .

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Basic isostasy suggests that the continental margin will subside after rifting, as the heated earth materials cool and increase in density. This will cause the elevation to decrease and the land to sink below sea level.

In the Interior of Continents the Earth's Crust Is Typically