How does the average depth of the ocean floor compare to elevation of land?
The ocean floors are about 4 times as deep on average than the average elevation of the continents above sea level.
What is the slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor?
A continental slope is the slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor. The continental slope is cut by submarine canyons in many locations.
Is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the topography of the ocean floor?
Bathymetry is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the shape or topography of the ocean floor.
What is characterized by a large inequality in high water heights low water heights or both?
The mixed tides are characterized by having a large inequality of either the high or low water heights; with two high waters and two low waters usually occurring each tidal day.
Why is the average elevation of continents higher than oceans?
Because average ocean water depth was 3.902 km, this puts the average continent surface elevation 680 m above the sea surface, which is 155 m less than the present value of elevation of 835 m, so that the average continent elevation relative to the sea surface is 155 m higher now than at 65 Ma.
How do the floors of ocean basins and continents differ?
Continental crust is mostly granite, a coarse-grained igneous rock, and oceanic crust is mostly basalt, a fine-grained igneous rock. Granite is rich in minerals containing silica and aluminum and basalt is rich in minerals containing iron and magnesium. Continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.
How do the shelf and slope of an active continental margin differ from those of a passive margin?
How do the shelf and slope of an active continental margin differ from those of a passive continental margin? The slope of an active continental margin is significantly steeper because it is been compressed as subduction occurs (although accretionary prisms do develop.
Is the continental slope the deepest part of the ocean?
Ocean trenches The Mariana Trench, for example, is the deepest place in the ocean at 36,201 feet. Finally, you would ascend tens of thousands of feet back up the continental slope and across the continental shelf.
Why is the average depth of the ocean much greater than the average height of land?
Why is the average depth of the ocean much greater than the average height of land? Oceanic crust is more dense than continental crust. In the figure above, which shows a portion of the hypsographic curve.
Is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the topography of the ocean floor quizlet?
Bathymetry is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of shape, or topography, of the ocean floor.
What is the difference in the heights between consecutive high and low waters?
The difference in height between the high tide and the low tide is called the tidal range.
What is characterized by a single high and low tide each tidal day?
An area has a diurnal tidal cycle if it experiences one high and one low tide every lunar day. Many areas in the Gulf of Mexico experience these types of tides.
Which has larger changes in elevation and depth the continents or oceans?
An estimated average continental elevation increase relative to average ocean floor depth of about 54 m and sea level decrease relative to the ocean floor of about 102 m add up to a 156-m increase of continent elevation over sea level since 65 Ma.
What is the average elevation of continents?
Today, all continents have great mountain ranges, vast plains, extensive plateaus, and complex river systems. The landmasses's average elevation above sea level is about 838 meters (2,750 feet).
How do the continents compare to the oceans?
Continents are large and continuous masses of land which are separated by expanses of water. Oceans are large water bodies in the Earth's atmosphere. Continental crust is thicker. The oceanic crust is thinner.
How does a deep ocean basin differ from the continental margin?
Continental margins – these are regions that extend from the coast across shallow shelf regions to the edge of continents where the seafloor descends into deep water. Deep-ocean basins – This includes parts of the oceans where deep water prevails. Deep ocean basins cover the greatest portion of the Earth's surface.
How do the shelf and slope of an active continental margin differ from those of a passive margin quizlet?
How do the shelf and slope of an active continental margin differ from those of a passive continental margin? The slope of an active continental margin is significantly steeper because it is been compressed as subduction occurs (although accretionary prisms do develop.
What is the difference between an active continental margin and a passive continental margin quizlet?
An active continental margin is found on the leading edge of the continent where it is crashing into an oceanic plate. Passive continental margins are found along the remaining coastlines.
Why are continents above sea level?
Hasterok says it has been well known for years that "elevations of different regions of the continents sit higher or lower relative to each other as a result of their density and thickness. Most elevation that we can observe at the surface is a result of the buoyancy of the crust and upper mantle."
Why is water pressure greater the deeper you go?
That's because there's less air above you pressing down. Similarly, as you travel deeper in water, pressure increases. Underwater pressure is called hydrostatic pressure.
What is the average depth of the ocean?
The average ocean depth is 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles). That's 2.74 kilometers (1.7 miles) down! The average depth of the ocean is about 3,688 meters (12,100 feet).
What is the measurement and charting of ocean depth called?
The process of measuring the depths is known as bathymetry . These measurements were first made through soundings , where a weighted line (lead line) was let out by hand until it touched the bottom, and the depth could be recorded from the length of the line (Figure 1.4. 1).
Has the greatest difference in height between successive high and low tides?
A neap tide has the greatest difference between consecutive low and high tides.
What is the height of water during high tide?
The typical tidal range in the open ocean is about 0.6 metres (2 feet) (blue and green on the map on the right). Closer to the coast, this range is much greater. Coastal tidal ranges vary globally and can differ anywhere from near zero to over 16 m (52 ft).
When high tides are lower and low tides are higher than normal?
When this happens, the bulge of the ocean caused by the sun partially cancels out the bulge of the ocean caused by the moon. This produces moderate tides known as neap tides, meaning that high tides are a little lower and low tides are a little higher than average.
What is the difference between low and high tides?
When the highest part, or crest of the wave reaches a particular location, high tide occurs; low tide corresponds to the lowest part of the wave, or its trough. The difference in height between the high tide and the low tide is called the tidal range.
Why are continents much higher than oceans?
Layers that are less dense, such as the crust, float on layers that are denser, such as the mantle. Both oceanic crust and continental crust are less dense than the mantle, but oceanic crust is denser than continental crust. This is partly why the continents are at a higher elevation than the ocean floor.
Why do you think continents are elevated than the ocean floor?
The oceanic material is forced down into the mantle because it is more dense than the continent. In fact, the reason the continents are so much older than the ocean floor is that the continental crust is composed of material too light to sink into the mantle.
Why are the pressure difference between continents and oceans?
Answer: WATER EXHIBITS VERY DIFFERENT thermal properties from those displayed by the rocks and soil of land. These differences in thermal properties cause oceans and land to warm and cool at different rates, leading to significant temperature variations between oceans and land.
What are some of the differences between the ocean-floor and the continents?
Seafloor crust is typically only about 5 to 10 kilometers thick, compared to 20 to 70 kilometers for continental crust. Comparisons of rock samples from the seafloor and continent show that seafloor crust is denser than continental crust.