Exploring the Ocean
1) Some factors that make it hard to explore the ocean floor is the amount of pressure deep under the ocean, the darkness, and how cold it is under the ocean
2) The seafloor spreads because two boundary plates could be trying to spread away from each other so the floor is spreading apart.
3) Earth isn't getting larger when new rock is created deep in the ocean because that rock used to be magma but it came through the cracks of the floor and it cooled down to become rock.
Vocabulary
mid ocean ridge- divergent boundary plate
trench- a steep sided canyon
continental slope- a steep incline that drops off
abyssal plain- a smooth, nearly flat surface floor
seamount- mountains underwater
continental shelf- a shallow area that gently slopes
volcanic island- a mountain that reaches the top of the water
2) The seafloor spreads because two boundary plates could be trying to spread away from each other so the floor is spreading apart.
3) Earth isn't getting larger when new rock is created deep in the ocean because that rock used to be magma but it came through the cracks of the floor and it cooled down to become rock.
Vocabulary
mid ocean ridge- divergent boundary plate
trench- a steep sided canyon
continental slope- a steep incline that drops off
abyssal plain- a smooth, nearly flat surface floor
seamount- mountains underwater
continental shelf- a shallow area that gently slopes
volcanic island- a mountain that reaches the top of the water