Ocean Topography & Ocean Motions Practice

Front

What is ocean topography?

Back

Ocean topography refers to the study of the ocean floor's features, including mountains, valleys, and plains.

Front

What is an abyssal plain?

Back

An abyssal plain is a large, flat area of the ocean floor, typically found at depths of 3,000 to 6,000 meters.

Front

What is a seamount?

Back

A seamount is an underwater mountain formed by volcanic activity.

Front

What is a volcanic island?

Back

A volcanic island is an island formed by volcanic eruptions, often rising above the ocean surface.

Front

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain range formed by tectonic plate movements.

Front

What is the continental shelf?

Back

The continental shelf is the underwater land that extends from a continent's coastline to the continental slope.

Front

What is the continental slope?

Back

The continental slope is the steep incline between the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor.

Front

What causes ocean tides?

Back

Ocean tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on Earth's oceans.

Front

How does water temperature change from the continental shelf to the abyssal plain?

Back

As you go from the continental shelf to the abyssal plain, the water temperature gets colder.

Front

What is the role of the sun in ocean tides?

Back

The sun also affects ocean tides, but its effect is less significant than that of the moon.