Ocean Bottom

Chapter 3

Will lead to unlocking some of the mysteries of the ocean and may give insight into Earth’s past

Bathygraphic features

Underwater physical features Mountain ranges Canyons Valleys

Two Major Features of the Ocean Bottom

The Continental Margins The region beneath the

____________zone The Ocean Basin

The _____________of the ocean beyond the continental margin

Continental Margins

The continental shelf Shallow

submerged_____________________ The continental slopes

__________________between the continental shelf and the deep floor of the ocean

Continental Margins continued

Submarine Canyons Probably formed by _________on

land during periods of_________________

Continental Rise A gentle slope at the base of a

steep______________________

Ocean Basin

Four main ocean basins Pacific Atlantic Indian Arctic

Antarctic (also considered to be an ocean)

Geological formations found in Ocean Basins

Abyssal Plains and Hills _____________- flat expanse of the

ocean basin ______________ – as high as 1,000

meters (3,300 feet) Seamounts

Formed from underwater_____________

Found mostly in the Pacific Ocean

Geological formations found in Ocean Basins

cont. Ridges and Rises A continuous series of large,

underwater, volcanic mountains runs through every ocean of the world

Trenches – most common in the Pacific Ocean Mariana Trench

The deepest of all ocean trenches – The _____________________is 11,020 meters (6.85 miles) deep. The deepest spot on earth

Island arcsChains of volcanic islands usually associated with trenches

the mid-ocean ridge is the largest single geological feature on the

Earth's surface.

the Mid-Ocean Ridge is an underwater series of mountain ranges that snakes 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers) around the globe, from the Arctic, through the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean.

the highest peaks rise ____________feet (3,000 meters) above the sea floor.

Life on the Ocean Floor

Continental Shelf Shallow Sunlight________________________ High levels of

_________________wash in from the continent

High levels of ________________and nutrients makes the area very productive and marine life is __________________on the continental shelf

Life on the Ocean Floor cont.

Abyssal Plain Deep water No sunlight, no__________________ Food production is by way of

_______________________bacteria in vent communities

Life is not abundant on the ocean floor because____________________________