Continents and Mountain Ranges

Abstract

Continents and ocean basins make up the planet’s crust, Earth’s outermost layer. Continental areas consist of sialic materials and ocean basins consist of simatic materials, the two main rock types, based on their mineral composition, that make up the Earth’s crust. There are several models for naming continents including a seven-continent model and a three-continent model. Both continents and ocean basins have mountain ranges and the continental ones, such as the Alps, Himalayas, Appalachians, and Rockies are better known. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is most likely the best-known oceanic one. Continental climates are moderated by nearby bodies of water and often form rain-shadows. The continents have drifted to their present locations from a supercontinent called Pangaea that straddled the equator at times past. The mechanism for drifting continents is the concept of Harry Hess’ sea-floor spreading that gave rise to the theory of plate tectonics.