EARTH SCIENCE 10-8 What are some ocean landforms?

OBJ: Describe the ocean floor.

I. Continental Margin - the continental margin divides the continent from the
ocean floor.
CONTINENTAL SHELF = part of the continent that slopes gently away from
the shoreline.
CONTINENTAL SLOPE = part of a continent between the continental shelf and
the ocean floor.

II. The Ocean Floor - is similar to land formations on Earth.

Plains - flat parts
- cover about half of the ocean floor.
Mountain Ranges - run along the middle of the oceans.
- known as mid-ocean ridges.
- some mid-ocean ridges rise above the water to form
islands.

III. Trenches = deep canyon on the ocean floor.

- deepest canyon is the Marianas Trench in the
Pacific Ocean.
o it is over 11,000m deep.
o Mt. Everst (8,900m) can fit inside the
Marianas and still have 2,000m left.

IV. Seamounts = volcanic mountain on the ocean floor.

- Hawaiian Islands are peaks of seamounts that
have reached above the water.
GUYOTS = flat-topped underwater seamounts.