Oceanic crust is younger than continental crust. This is because oceanic crust is constantly being created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed through subduction at trenches. Continental crust, on the other hand, is much older and less prone to destruction.
The process of subduction, where denser oceanic crust dives beneath continental crust, leads to the recycling of oceanic crust back into the Earth's mantle. This constant process ensures that the oldest oceanic crust is only a few hundred million years old, whereas some sections of continental crust are nearly as old as Earth itself.
Key points about crust ages:
- Oceanic crust: Younger, denser, constantly being created and destroyed.
- Continental crust: Older, thicker, less prone to destruction.
