Oceanic Crust
Oceanic crust is the outermost layer of the Earth's lithosphere that underlies the ocean basins. It is composed mainly of basalt, a dense and dark volcanic rock that is formed by the solidification of lava flows. The oceanic crust is thinner and younger than the continental crust, with an average thickness of 7-10 km and an age of less than 200 million years. It is constantly being created at mid-ocean ridges by seafloor spreading and destroyed at subduction zones where it sinks back into the mantle. The oceanic crust plays a crucial role in plate tectonics and the global carbon cycle.
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