Continental Shelves
Which of these choices best defines continental shelves?
A. The area of seabed around a large landmass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean. The continental shelf is geologically part of the continental crust.
B. The area of a seabed around a small landmass where the sea is relatively deep compared with lakes. The continental shelf is geologically part of the continental crust.
The choice that best defines continental shelves is A.
The longest mountain range in the world lies ______.
The longest mountain range in the world lies underwater.
What comes out of a volcano when it erupts, and what is that substance called before it leaves the earth's crust?
Molten lava comes out of a volcano when it erupts, and is called magma before it leaves the earth's crust.
Name one of the major plates.
Pacific Plate, North American Plate, Eurasian Plate, African Plate, Antarctic Plate, Indo-Australian Plate, Australian Plate, Indian Plate, South American Plate
What is being described?
"a long, deep depression in the ocean floor"
A trench is being described.
What is a continental slope?
A continental slope is a steep underwater cliff at the edge of a continental shelf that drop to the floor.
How far do underwater mountain ranges extend a year?
Underwater mountain ranges extend between 1 and 20cm a year.
What is an underwater volcano called?
An underwater volcano is called a seamount.
How many major tectonic plates are there?
There are nine major tectonic plates.
Define a seamount.
A seamount is an underwater mountain.
What depths do continental shelves extend to?
Continental shelves extend to depths of 100-200m (330-660ft).
How many oceans does the Mid-Ocean Ridge extend through?
The Mid-Ocean Ridge extends through all four oceans.
What is a volcano?
A volcano is a mountain formed when hot lava erupts through Earth's crust, cools, and solidifies into rock.
What are tectonic plates?
Tectonic plates are pieces of the earth's crust and uppermost mantle.
What two principal types of material are tectonic plates made of?
The two principal types of material tectonic plates are made of are oceanic crust and continental crust.
How far do the Grand Banks off Newfoundland extend?
The Grand Banks off Newfoundland extend several hundred kilometers.
It is estimated that underwater mountains encompass approximately how many square kilometers of the earth?
It is estimated that underwater mountains encompass approximately 28.8 million square kilometers of the earth.
What is a guyot?
Guyots were volcanic islands with eroded tops so that the ocean covered them again.
Which scientist's thinking has led to the theory of plate tectonics?
The name of the scientist whose thinking led to the theory of plate tectonics was Alfred Wegener.
How many types of major landforms are there?
The are eight types of major landforms.
How big or small can continental shelves be?
Continental shelves can be as narrow as a kilometer while others can extend several hundred kilometers.
What is the length of the Mid-Ocean Ridge?
The length of the Mid-Ocean Ridge is 60 000 km.
What are the four underwater mountains we talked about in order from tallest to shortest?
The four underwater mountains discussed, from tallest to shortest, were volcanoes, volcanic islands, guyots, then seamounts.
What are the tectonic plates referred to as a whole?
As a whole, tectonic plates are referred to as the lisothphere.
What are the major landforms on Earth?
The major landforms on Earth are mountains, valleys, plateaus, glaciers, hills, loess, plains, and deserts.