The hydrological cycle refers to the continuous exchange of water between the oceans, atmosphere, land surface, and ___ .

Subsurface

Fill in the blank: Nearly 59 percent of the water that falls on land returns to the atmosphere through ___ .

Evaporation

What major factors contribute to the formation of features on the ocean floor?

Tectonic, volcanic, and depositional processes.

The oceanic part of the earth is divided into how many major oceans?

Five (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern).

Fill in the blank: The demand for renewable water on Earth is increasing ___ while the available supply remains constant.

Tremendously

True or False: Glaciers and icecaps contain more freshwater than groundwater sources.

True.

The ocean floor is divided into four major divisions including the Continental Shelf, Continental Slope, Deep Sea Plain, and ___ .

Oceanic Deeps

True or False: The average width of continental shelves is approximately 150 km.

False. The average width of continental shelves is about 80 km.

What is the typical gradient of the continental shelf?

The continental shelf shows an average gradient of 1° or even less.

Fill in the blank: The continental slope connects the continental shelf to the ___ .

Ocean basins

True or False: The depth of the deep sea plains varies between 3,000 and 6,000 meters.

True

What major geological features are commonly found in the continental slope region?

Canyons and trenches are commonly observed in the continental slope region.

What are deep sea plains primarily covered with?

Deep sea plains are covered with fine-grained sediments like clay and silt.

What happens at the shelf break?

The shelf break is where the continental shelf ends and the slope begins, marked by a very steep drop-off.

Trenches in the ocean are generally found at the bases of ___ and along ___ arcs.

Continental slopes; island

What is the significance of submarine canyons in oceanography?

Submarine canyons are significant as they can provide insights into sediment transport and erosion processes in marine environments.

Guyots are distinguished by their ___ tops resulting from gradual subsidence.

Flat

True or False: The Hudson Canyon is considered the best-known submarine canyon in the world.

True

Fill in the blank: The trench depth can be ___ to ___ km deeper than the surrounding ocean floor.

3; 5

What are mid-oceanic ridges and why are they important?

Mid-oceanic ridges are underwater mountain ranges formed by tectonic plate movements; they are important for understanding plate tectonics and ocean floor spreading.