Ocean Geography
1. Earth’s Interior
Interior of the Earth:

Three main levels:
• Crust
• Mantle
• Core

Volume
Distribution:
• Core – 15%
• Mantle – 85%
• Crust - >1%
Density increasing
Crust

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Since it is the only accessible layer, we know the
most about it.
Consists of layered rocks located on 12 plates
The MOHO separates the crust from the mantle
Crust slides around on liquid mantle
5 km to 70 km in depth
Plates
How the Plates Move:
Sea Floor Spreading:
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Two types of crust, Continental & Oceanic
Oceanic crust is constantly being reformed
When it meets the continental crust it
subducts into the mantle because it is
more dense
Mantle:

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Heat from the core drives the
convection in the mantle which in
turn drives plate tectonics
Makes up the majority of the Earth’s
volume
Solid, though ductile enough it flows
on a long enough period of time
Core

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Liquid outer core
Solid inner core
Much is speculated
about its
composition
Ocean Geography
2. Ocean Floor Features
Ocean Floor Features

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Continental Shelf – Shallow, sloping region
that extends beyond the continent
Continental Slope – Steep drop off located
at the end of the continental shelf
Ocean Floor Features

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Abyss – deeper regions of the ocean
Abyssal Plain – nearly flat, smooth region
of the ocean floor
Ocean Floor Features:

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Mid Ocean Ridge – Mountain range in the
ocean created usually by diverging or
converging plates
Trench – deep steep side Canyons
Ocean Geography:
3. Land & Water Features
Bay

A body of water
surrounded on
three sides by land
Strait/Sound

Water passage that
connects two
bodies of water or
water ways
Delta

A landform created
from the deposits
of a river as it
enters a sea or
ocean
Sea

Usually a large body of salty water
connected to an ocean
Cape

A long pointed
piece of land that
sticks out into an
ocean, lake, or sea
Peninsula

A piece of land
surrounded on
three sides by
water
Lake

Body of water
surrounded on all
sides by land, very
large ones are
sometimes called
seas
Fjord

Long narrow sea
inlet border on the
sides by steep cliffs