Which term describes the steep transition between continental crust and oceanic crust at the edge of a continent?

• A. Continental Margin
• B. Continental Slope
• C. Abyssal Plain
• D. Bathymetry

Answer: (B)

The steep descent from the edge of the continental shelf to the deep ocean is the continental slope. It marks the boundary where the thicker, lighter continental crust transitions to the thinner, more dense oceanic crust, so depth increases rapidly as you move from shallow shelf waters into the deep ocean. The continental margin as a whole includes the shelf, slope, and rise, but the specific feature with the sharp drop is the slope. Abyssal plain is the flat deep-sea floor beyond the rise, and bathymetry is the measurement of ocean depths, not a geological feature.