Chapter 14: The Ocean Floor - Chapter Test

Front

What are abyssal plains?

Back

Abyssal plains are very flat features on the ocean floor that form when turbidity currents deposit sediments.

Front

What is the continental margin?

Back

The continental margin is the zone of the ocean floor that separates the thin oceanic crust from thick continental crust, sloping down to the abyssal plain.

Front

Which ocean has the most volcanic and earthquake activity at its continental margins?

Back

The Pacific Ocean has the most volcanic and earthquake activity at its continental margins.

Front

What type of biogenous sediment is likely found on the deepest part of the ocean floor?

Back

Siliceous ooze is the type of biogenous sediment likely found on the deepest part of the ocean floor.

Front

What is hydrogenous sediment?

Back

Hydrogenous sediment is made up of minerals that crystallize directly from ocean waters.

Front

What causes abyssal plains to form?

Back

Abyssal plains form when turbidity currents deposit sediments on the ocean floor.

Front

What is the difference between siliceous ooze and calcareous ooze?

Back

Siliceous ooze is composed of silica from diatoms and radiolarians, while calcareous ooze is made of calcium carbonate from foraminifera and coccolithophores.

Front

What are turbidity currents?

Back

Turbidity currents are underwater flows of sediment-laden water that can transport sediments down the continental slope.

Front

What is the significance of the abyssal plain in oceanography?

Back

Abyssal plains are significant as they cover more than 50% of the Earth's surface and are important for understanding sedimentation processes.

Front

What are the main types of ocean sediments?

Back

The main types of ocean sediments are terrigenous, biogenous, hydrogenous, and cosmogenous sediments.