Ocean Regions

Monday November 15, 2010

Objectives

• I will be able to illustrate and define the ______floor’s ___________ and ______________.

• I will be able to relate the theory of ________________________to the _________________on the ocean floor.

Key Points• The three major regions of the ocean floor are the continental

margins, the ocean basin floor and the mid-ocean ridges.• The gently sloping submerged surface extending from the shoreline

toward the deep ocean is called the continental shelf.• At the continental margin in the Pacific Ocean there are

earthquakes, volcanoes and plate activity.• Seamounts are volcanoes that form on the ocean floor.• Mid-ocean ridges are associated with mountainous topography.• The abyssal plains are thought to be the most level places on earth.• The deepest part of the ocean are ocean trenches.• Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent plates.

Mapping the Ocean Floor

• Scientists______________________________________________ to map the ocean floor

• The three main regions of the ocean floor are1. The ______ __ ______ ____ _ ______ _____2. The ______ ___ ______ ___ __ ______ ____3. The ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

• THINK: Where have we heard about mid-ocean ridges before?

Ocean Regions

• Where are the continental margins, mid-ocean ridge, and ocean basin floor?

Ocean Regions

• Continental Margins– The zone of ______ ______ between the continent

and the ocean basin floor• In the Atlantic the continental margin is ______ ___and has

little volcanic or earthquake activity• In the Pacific oceanic crust is pushed under continental crust

– What is this called?

• A ______ ______ ______ that causes ______ ______, ______ ______, and other ______

______ ______

Ocean Regions

• Continental Margins are divided into the continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise

1. The ______ ______ ______ is the gently ______ ______ ______ ______ that goes from the shoreline toward the deep ocean- contains important ______ ______ such as… (what were the resources we discussed on Friday?)

Ocean Regions

2. The ______ ______ ______ is a _______ gradient that leads to the deep-ocean floor- Contains submarine canyons carved out by turbidity currents

3. The ______ ______ ______ ______ is the ______ ______ ______ surface at the base of the continental slope.

Identify the different features of the continental margin

Ocean Regions

• The ______ ______ ______ is the area of the deep ocean floor ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

• There are a lot cool features of the ocean basin floor– Deep ocean __ ______ ____– __ ______ ____ plains– ______ ______ ______

Ocean Regions

• Deep-ocean trenches form at plate boundaries… which type of boundary do you think?– Trenches are ______ ______ ______ part of the ocean.EXPLORE THE MARIANA TRENCH

• Abyssal Plains are ______ ______ ______ area of the deep-ocean floor– They are the ______ ______ ______ ______

• ______ ______ ______ ______ that form on the ocean floor

Ocean Regions

• Mid-Ocean Ridges are found near the center of most ocean basins where ______ ______ ______ meet

• Mid-ocean ridges are associated with ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ _____

Check In Questions

1. What are the three major regions of the ocean floor?

2. Describe mid-ocean ridges. Where are they, what type of plate boundary are they associated with, what features would you see at mid-ocean ridges?

3. How is the continental margin of the Pacific different from the continental margin of the Atlantic?

4. What are the deepest parts of the ocean?5. What are the most level places on Earth?

Ocean Regions• Draw a diagram of the ocean floor and define the

terms.• Include all three regions of the ocean and the

features listed here:Continental margin Deep-ocean trenchesContinental shelf Abyssal plainSubmarine canyon SeamountsTurbidity currents Mid-ocean ridgesContinental rise Seafloor spreadingOcean basin floor Hydrothermal vents

Vocabulary (just in case you don’t have your list from Friday) DUE FRIDAY 11/19

• 1. Oceanography2. Sonar3. Submersible4. Continental margin5. Continental shelf6. Continental slope7. Submarine canyon8. Turbidity current9. Continental rise10. Ocean basin floor11. Abyssal plains12. Seamounts13. Mid-ocean ridges14. Seafloor spreading15. Salinity

16. Thermocline17. Trophic level18. Photic zone19. Aphotic zone20. Mixed zone21. Deep zone22. Density23. Plankton24. Nekton25. Benthos26. Coriolis Effect27. Abrasion28. Seawall29. Beach nourishment30. Groin