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Contents of 13.1 Why are continents high and oceans low?

13.1 Why are continents high and oceans low?

• The principle of isostasy states that the weight at the base of any column of crust and mantle must be the same as below every other column.
• Isostasy explains variation in surface elevation as a result of variations in thickness and density of crust.
• Areas of continental crust are higher than areas of oceanic crust because continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.