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I don't know. I wonder myself. But here's a simplistic guess: ... take the east coast of the USA. North America basically split apart from Europe/Africa. The Atlantic trench keeps bringing magma/lava up to the ocean floor, pushing Europe/Africa and the Americas further apart from each other. Maybe the end of the continental shelf is the location where Pangaea split apart? Forming a deep hole, which has stretched out further and further and covers most of the Atlantic. So the shelf could easily be above sea level, or maybe it was at one time in the past? I don't know why continents have plains above sea level while the oceans have plains *so much* lower in altitude, nor do I know why sea level is at a very close level to the continental shelf.
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∙ 15y ago
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The continental shelf continental slope and continental rise combine to form the?
The continental shelf is basically an extension of a continent into an ocean. It is underwater during interglacial periods (such as today) but dry during glacial periods. The continental slope is the sloping area between the continental shelf and the continental rise (where the continental plate meets the oceanic plate). The continental shelf and the continental slope together are called the continental margin. The continental rise is located at the bottom of the continental slope and is formed by the accumulation of sediment from the continent. Past the continental rise lies the abyssal plain which is the flat ocean floor.
What is the ocean zone that covers the continental shelf?
The zone of ocean under shelf and continental slope are continental.
What landforms can form independent of plate boundaries?
Continental shelf, abysmal plain, Island
Which side of Florida has the widest continental shelf?
The widest continental shelf in Florida is the Gulf continental shelf. It is along the central-west coast of the state.
How is the slope different from the continental shelf?
Continental shelf is an undersea extension of a continent. Continental slope connects the continental shelf to the abyssal plain.
How do continental slope and continental shelf form?
Abrasion
The continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise to form the?
continental margin
In which portion does coral reefs form in the continental margin?
Continental shelf
Coral reefs form in which portion of the Continental margin?
continental shelf
Method in which continental shelf are form?
fishies poo
The portion of land that extends into the ocean is called the continental?
shelf
What is the flattest part of the continental margin?
Continental Slopes.
What do you call the part of a continent that extends underwater?
Land. Continental shelf.
What begins at the edge of the continental shelf?
the continental shelf-edge or shelf-break
What is the oldest continental shelf?
the oldest continental shelf is in tortoga
Does the gulf stream flow over the continental shelf or the continental slope?
continental shelf
The shelf edge is the boundary between the continental shelf and the?
continental slope
