What does continental shelf mean in geography?

The continental shelf is defined as the portion of the ocean floor that lies beneath the water surface within the coastal zone. This zone is important because it is the primary zone where the action of waves and tides is focused. The continental shelf is distinct from the ocean floor beyond the shelf. This part of the ocean floor is called the deeper ocean floor that begins at the shelf break.

What does the continental shelf mean in physics?

The continental shelf is the portion of the earth’s ocean floor that is closest to the shore. This region varies in width from about 100 to 1200 kilometers. The shelf is important to marine life as it provides a shallow water habitat for many species, including commercial fisheries. The continental shelf is also a crucial component of the earth’s carbon cycle. The shelf is home to around half of the world’s seafloor storage of carbon, and this carbon acts as a natural buffer

What is the purpose of continental shelf?

The purpose of a continental shelf is to support and protect the coastline. They are also a good indicator of how old the continents are. Continental shelves are underwater extensions of the land. They are created by the gradual raising of the ocean floor as the continents move toward the poles. The continental shelf is usually between 300 and 2000 meters deep, but varies depending on the location.

What is the meaning of continental shelf?

The continental shelf is a relatively narrow region of the ocean floor that lies beneath the ocean surface along the coast of a continent. Geographers use the term to describe the area of the sea off the coast of a continent. The term is generally used to describe the continental shelf region in the ocean where the water is less than 200 meters deep.

What is continental shelf mean?

The continental shelf is the underwater portion of a continent. It is the area under the ocean that lies between the water’s surface and the shore. The continental shelf is, in effect, the extension of the continent into the ocean. It consists of a gently sloping shelf that extends from the coast to an underwater elevation called the shelf break.