Ocean Floor Features
A feature called the continental margin starts at the water's edge. It stretches hundreds of miles to the deep ocean floor. It is separated into 3 parts, the continental shelf, the continental slope, and the continental rise.
1. Continental shelf: The continental shelf forms the edges of the continent. a shelf usually slopes gently from sea level to a depth of less than 200 m. It can be 80 km to more than 1000 km wide.
2. Continental slope: Farther from the shelf is the continental slope. The continental slope drops sharply. It forms the edges of the continent.
3. Continental rise: At the bottom of the continental slope is the continental rise.
1. Continental shelf: The continental shelf forms the edges of the continent. a shelf usually slopes gently from sea level to a depth of less than 200 m. It can be 80 km to more than 1000 km wide.
2. Continental slope: Farther from the shelf is the continental slope. The continental slope drops sharply. It forms the edges of the continent.
3. Continental rise: At the bottom of the continental slope is the continental rise.
The ocean floor has many features. Some are like those on dry land. Underwater canyons slice through the the continental shelf. Such canyons are called submarine canyons. Mountains and plains are underwater, too. Sea mounts are huge, steep-sided mountains rising from the ocean floor. Some sea mounts have flat tops. These are called guyots (GEE ohs). Sea mounts are found mainly on the deep ocean floor. This huge area is called the abyssal plain.