Question

Oceanic plates are made up of a material called 'sima' that is mostly silicon and what other element?

a) Magnesium
b) Iron
c) Aluminum
d) Carbon

Answer 1

Oceanic plates are primarily made up of silicon and magnesium, which form the material 'sima,' found in the volcanic rock basalt that comprises much of the oceanic crust.

"The correct option is approximately option b"

Step-by-step explanation:

The oceanic plates are made up of a material called 'sima,' which is rich in the elements silicon and magnesium. The eight elements that constitute about 98% of the Earth's solid matter in order of abundance are oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Oxygen makes up 94% of the Earth's crust by volume and 47% by weight, while silicon accounts for 1% by volume and 28% by weight.

The oceanic crust is predominantly composed of volcanic rocks called basalts, which are primarily made of silicon, oxygen, iron, aluminum, and magnesium. This type of crust covers 55% of Earth's surface and is typically about 6 kilometers thick. In contrast, the continental crust which covers 45% of the Earth's surface and can be up to 70 kilometers thick, is primarily composed of granite, another type of volcanic rock.

Given this information, the element that accompanies silicon to form most of the oceanic plate material is magnesium, making the correct answer to the student's question option (a) Magnesium.

Answer 2

Oceanic plates are primarily made of sima, a material rich in silicon and magnesium. The correct answer to the question about the composition of sima is option a) Magnesium.

Step-by-step explanation:

Oceanic plates are composed of a material called sima, which is primarily made up of the elements silicon and magnesium. These components are abundant in the Earth's crust, with silicon being the second most abundant element. Oceanic crust, which covers 55% of the Earth's surface, primarily consists of mafic rocks such as basalt and gabbro that are rich in silicon and magnesium.

Basalts formed by the cooling of volcanic lava are key constituents of this crust. Silicon, which alone makes up nearly one-fourth of the mass of the Earth's crust, forms minerals central to most common rocks, including the oceanic crust. Considering the information provided, the correct answer to the question 'Oceanic plates are made up of a material called 'sima' that is mostly silicon and what other element?' is option a) Magnesium.