Which of the following is one of the main mineral constituents of the continental mass of the earth?

The correct answer is Silica.

• The main mineral constituents of the continental mass are silica and alumina.
  • It is thus called sial (si-silica and al-alumina).

Key Points

• Crust:
  • The top layer of the earth's surface is called the crust.
  • It is the thinnest of all the layers.
  • It is about 35 km on the continental mass and only 5 km on the bottom of the ocean.
  • Continental Mass and Mineral Component of Oceanic Crust
    • The main mineral components of continental mass are silica and alumina.
    • Thus it is called sial (Si-silica and Al-alumina).
    • The oceanic crust consists mainly of silica and magnesium; Hence it is called the limit (Si-silica and Ma-magnesium).
• Mantle:
  • Just beneath the crust is the mantle which extends up to a depth of 2900 km below the crust.
• Core:
  • The innermost layer is the core with a radius of about 3500 km.
  • It is mainly composed of nickel and iron and is called a knife (Ni-nickel and Fe-ferrous i.e. iron).
  • The central core has a very high temperature and pressure.