Which one among the following is a major relief feature in the Ocean floor?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Deep Sea Plain
In the school geography classification, the ocean floor has four major divisions, from the coast outwards:
Continental shelf — the gently sloping, shallow edge of the continent under the sea
Continental slope — the steep drop from the edge of the shelf to the deep ocean
Deep sea plain — the gently sloping, flat floor of the ocean basin, covered with fine sediment, at depths of about 3,000-6,000 m; the most extensive part of the ocean floor
Oceanic deeps (trenches) — the deepest, narrow parts of the oceans
The other three options are counted among the minor relief features that rise from or cut into these divisions.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Mid-Oceanic Ridges — Incorrect. Interconnected underwater mountain chains with a rift valley at the crest, where plates move apart.
Option (3) Seamount — Incorrect. A single underwater volcanic mountain with a pointed top that does not reach the sea surface.
Option (4) Submarine Canyons — Incorrect. Deep, steep-sided valleys cut into the continental shelf and slope, often at the mouths of big rivers.