Which statement correctly describes oceanic crust?

• A. It is found on continents.
• B. It is found underneath the oceans, is denser than continental crust, and can be subducted.
• C. It cannot be subducted.
• D. It is less dense than continental crust.

Answer: (B)

Oceanic crust sits beneath the oceans and is thinner and denser than continental crust, which is why it can be subducted. It’s formed mainly from basalt at mid‑ocean ridges and has a density around 3.0 g/cm^3, higher than continental crust’s roughly 2.7 g/cm^3. That density difference means, at plate boundaries, the oceanic plate cools and sinks beneath a lighter plate, either continental or island arc, diving back into the mantle in a subduction zone. So the description that it lies under the oceans, is denser than continental crust, and can be subducted matches what we observe about how Earth's crust is recycled.