Which term is described as a flat expanse of ocean floor? Abyssal Plains .
Which feature of the ocean floor is the continental shelf?
The continental shelf is an area of relatively shallow water, usually less than a few hundred feet deep , that surrounds land. It is narrow or nearly nonexistent in some places; in others, it extends for hundreds of miles.
Which term is described as a flat expanse of ocean floor abyssal plains continental shelf Guyots deep sea trenches?
Which term is described as a flat expanse of ocean floor? Abyssal Plains .
Which part of the ocean floor is most useful to the man continental shelf continental slope abyssal plains marine deeps?
The correct answer is (i) Continent shelf . Continental shelf is a part of the ocean floor which is of great importance to man. It is the shallow extension of the continent which is submerged.
Which term describes the area between the continental crust and the oceanic crust?
Earth’s crust is divided into two types: oceanic crust and continental crust. The transition zone between these two types of crust is sometimes called the Conrad discontinuity .
What happens when the seafloor spreads?
Seafloor spreading takes place at the boundaries of divergent plates whereby, as the divergent tectonic plates move away from each other, hot convectional currents from the mantle cause the lithosphere (the ocean crust) to become less-dense, ductile, and brittle, and therefore rise above the surrounding crust to form a ...
How does the ocean floor keep track of magnetic field?
These changes in strength and direction of the Earth’s magnetic field are recorded in the volcanic rocks beneath the seafloor. When hot lava erupts on the ocean floor and cools it not only crystallizes , but it also becomes magnetic. This is because the magma that seeps from the Earth’s mantle has a lot of iron in it.
What are 4 types of ocean floor?
Features of the ocean floor include the continental shelf and slope, abyssal plain, trenches, seamounts, and the mid-ocean ridge .
What are sea floor features?
Features of the ocean include the continental shelf, slope, and rise . The ocean floor is called the abyssal plain. Below the ocean floor, there are a few small deeper areas called ocean trenches. Features rising up from the ocean floor include seamounts, volcanic islands and the mid-oceanic ridges and rises.
What are the features of ocean floor?
Like dry land, the ocean floor has various features including flat plains, sharp mountains, and rugged canyons (Fig. 7.1). However, the lowest point in the world ocean is much deeper than the highest point on land. The ocean floor is continually being formed and destroyed.
Which part of ocean is most useful to man?
The part of ocean floor that is most useful to the man is Continental Shelf . A continental shelf can be defined as a part of continent that is submerged in shallow water. These Continental Shelf are useful to man as it provides fishing grounds, gravel, minerals, sunlight, fossil fuels etc.
What lives in the continental shelf?
Lobster, Dungeness crab, tuna, cod, halibut, sole and mackerel can be found. Permanent rock fixtures are home to anemones, sponges, clams, oysters, scallops, mussels and coral. Larger animals such as whales and sea turtles can be seen in continental shelf areas as they follow migration routes.
Which is the largest continental shelf?
Exceptionally broad shelves occur off northern Australia and Argentina. The world’s largest continental shelf extends 1,500 km (about 930 miles) from the coast of Siberia into the Arctic Ocean . Continental shelves are usually covered with a layer of sand, silts, and silty muds.
What do you mean by continental crust?
Continental crust, the outermost layer of Earth’s lithosphere that makes up the planet’s continents and continental shelves and is formed near subduction zones at plate boundaries between continental and oceanic tectonic plates. The continental crust forms nearly all of Earth’s land surface.
What is the difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?
The crust is the outer layer of the Earth. ... Continental crust is typically 30-50 km thick, whilst oceanic crust is only 5-10 km thick . Oceanic crust is denser, can be subducted and is constantly being destroyed and replaced at plate boundaries.
Why is it important to distinguish the two types of crust?
Explanation: The thin oceanic crust is composed of primarily of basalt , and the thicker continental crust is composed primarily of granite. The low density of the thick continental crust allows it to “float” in high relief on the much higher density mantlebelow.
